


Quinn: The Power of Suggestion

by LillieWescott



Series: Malavai Quinn Stories [1]
Category: Star Wars: The Old Republic
Genre: Action/Adventure, Canon Related, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Married Couple, Rescue, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-03
Updated: 2014-10-07
Packaged: 2018-02-19 18:43:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 25
Words: 65,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2398850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LillieWescott/pseuds/LillieWescott
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A female light-side Sith Warrior married to a fanatical Imperial Officer?  As Vette says, “They’re so weird” and so this love story is a little odd as well.  After an attempt on her life by rival Sith forces, the Emperor's Wrath appears to have lost her powers.  Malavai Quinn is determined to save her; how far will he go to protect the woman he loves?</p>
<p>This story precedes "Quinn:  Forty Days".</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Quinn's Wife Teaches Him A Lesson

**Author's Note:**

> After playing SWTOR in Summer of 2013, I fell in love with the Sith Warrior's crew and wrote this story. In an attempt to make the warrior in this story as generic as possible, so anyone can imagine their own player in her shoes, I’ve called her “M” and refrained from mentioning any physical characteristics (she does have eyes, so I fear those with Miraluka Sith warriors are on their own). The other characters have their default appearances. If you haven’t played through "Chapter 3" in the game Star Wars: The Old Republic, be prepared for many spoilers. This story takes place near the end of Chapter 3 for all Imperial classes, before the Hutt Cartel update. The Prologue below highlights the relevant in-game choices for this pair. The first chapter might seem a bit gratuitous, but I promise it will all make sense by the end. This story is rated M for adult themes (but no profanity) and a rather nasty description of assault in Chapter 12. If you prefer to avoid the lurid violence, simply skip the chapter 12 sections in italics. For the Empire!

# 

 

PROLOGUE

Malavai Quinn clutched at the wound in his left side and tried to push himself up from the station’s metallic floor, now littered with smashed bits of the war droids he had unsuccessfully set upon his wife.  His wife, M, was the Sith warrior they called “The Emperor’s Wrath” and the ex-apprentice of his benefactor Lord Baras.   She was standing over him, angry, glowing with dark Force energy, but not moving to attack him.  She deactivated her light saber and hooked it to her belt with a click that echoed through the now silent transponder station control room.  He was surprised she hadn’t killed him for his treachery immediately. 

 

He bowed his head to her and said in his impeccable Imperial accent, “I have betrayed you. Conspired with your most hated enemy.  I know it is meaningless to express my deep regret.  I don’t expect your mercy.”  He stood up, so as to die with some dignity, and dared to hope that given M’s previous affection for him his death might at least be swift.  He braced himself for the killing stroke.

 

The Emperor’s Wrath frowned at her husband, perplexed by his bizarre and illogical actions. She briefly indulged her desire for him, her gaze traveling over his full lower lip, his pale skin and high cheekbones, his perfectly groomed jet-black hair, and his inscrutable dark blue eyes. He was looking at her expectantly, and she knew the proper response of a Sith Lord would be to kill him. She also knew that would never happen, because to kill him would be to kill a part of herself. But she couldn’t let his betrayal go unpunished.  She had to say something.  She said impatiently, “I will keep you alive, and see if you can win my trust again.”

 

Quinn paused for a moment, speechless.  He gathered himself and said, “My Lord, this is unexpected.  Darth Baras would never forgive such a failure. If you will permit me to stay in your charge, my dedication to you will never come into question again.”

 

M raised a brow. She felt terribly hurt by what he’d done.  All this time she’d thought he loved her, but his attempt to murder her just now on Lord Baras’s behalf made her wonder if any of his professed love had been real.   Was their marriage meaningless?  Regardless, until she determined the true motivations behind his behavior, of course, she would keep him onboard.  Of course he would stay in her charge, even if it was in the brig.  She loved him desperately. Put him to death? She wouldn’t let him get away that easily.  “You’ll just have to make this up to me in private, Captain.”

 

Quinn was confused by the simple request.  Surely that would not be the extent of his punishment?   To service his beautiful and accomplished wife in bed was not a punishment by any definition. “That… can be arranged, My Lord?” He thought for a moment about his options, now that he found himself still alive, and realized that time was at a premium if he was to minimize the damage caused by his actions and save as many lives as possible.   He needed to get to a comm terminal.  He cleared his throat and said, “This interruption has delayed you long enough.  I’m eager to return to the ship and put this behind us.”

 

M nodded.   She wanted to get back on her ship as well.  She needed to think things through.   She motioned to him and they headed back to retrieve her human apprentice, Jaesa Willsaam, who Quinn had knocked out with a stun field upon their arrival at the station.  As they approached Jaesa’s prone form, she said,  “And get to the med bay to treat your wounds.  I find I’m not in the mood to heal you at the moment. Do not leave any scars or I will be exceedingly cross.” 

 

“Of course, My Lord. Thank you for your concern, My Lord.”

 

After M roused Jaesa, and admonished both Quinn and Jaesa not to speak of the incident to the rest of the crew, they returned to her ship, the _Wrath’s Fury,_ and prepared to depart for Corellia.

 

* * *

CHAPTER ONE:  QUINN'S WIFE TEACHES HIM A LESSON

_Three months later:_

 

“Quinn.”

 

M lounged back on their bed as Quinn strode through the door to their stateroom.  The door swished shut behind him as he unfastened the high collar of his dark grey Imperial uniform. He carefully placed his blaster and knife on the shelf over the desk console and said,  “All members of the crew have disembarked for shore leave.  Our appointment with the Dark Council is tomorrow afternoon and all the necessary bureaucratic requirements have been fulfilled.”

 

“Excellent work.”

 

“You honor me, My Lord.”

 

M smiled and patted the opulent violet comforter on their large bed. “Come sit down here with me. I need to talk to you. I have a problem with one of my people.”

 

Quinn’s expression hardened and he sat next to her, his jacket half open. “What has happened?”   M hesitated, her thoughts interrupted by the masculine curves of Malavai’s neck, visible through the open collar. “My Lord?”

 

M gazed into Quinn’s worried blue eyes and sighed.  “It’s you, Malavai.” Quinn sucked in a breath. She patted his shoulder; “You’ve done nothing wrong, my darling.  I know that.  Jaesa knows that. But you don’t seem to know that.”

 

Quinn’s back straightened.  “I see.  You are referring again to the incident at the transponder station.”

 

M squeezed his arm.  “I am.” She studied him as he worked his jaw. 

 

“My Lord, you don’t seem to appreciate the gravity of what transpired.  I was assigned to your crew to spy on you, to betray you and … to kill you.” He swallowed.  “I earned your trust, I slept with you.  I married you under the shadow of a lie.  I do not deserve your forgiveness, nor frankly your affection, and I shall never be able to sufficiently make amends for my trespass.”

 

M sighed and reached up to caress his cheek.  She ran a finger down to his chin, enjoying the light roughness of his perpetual five o’clock shadow. “I think Baras was directly influencing your mind.  He had power over you that you couldn’t overcome.”

 

“Are you implying that I have a weak mind?  If so, I am a liability to your team.”

 

“You don’t have a weak mind.”

 

“I agree.  Which is why I refuse to ascribe to this ridiculous theory that I was brainwashed. I assure you that everything I did was of my own volition.”

 

“Augh!” Quinn jumped as M pulled her hand back and pounded the bed with her fist.   Her eyes flickered red with dark side energy.  She took a deep breath and the fire dimmed. “You stubborn man!  If I truly thought you’d betrayed me…”

 

“My Lord…”

 

“Stop calling me that.  Here. In our bed.” Quinn nodded stiffly.

 

She took another breath and said calmly, “If I’d thought you truly wanted to kill me, I would have…  I would have made a holovid of your confession, tortured you and… no I would have had _Lieutenant Pierce_ torture you and then I would have ordered Broonmark to disembowel you or… I don’t know, bugger you to death or something similarly awful.“ Quinn sat up a little straighter. “Then I would have sold the holovid to some Hutt on Nar Shaddaa to distribute to the black market. I’m sure there’s good money to be made with the spectacle of a decorated Imperial officer being violated by a hairy sociopathic alien.”

 

Quinn swallowed convulsively.  “I suppose that is all I deserve for my treachery.”

 

M rolled her eyes and fell back onto the pillows in frustration. “You have no idea when I’m joking.  Of course I wouldn’t do that to you.”

 

“This is not a joking matter, My Lord.”

 

M didn’t bother to argue about the honorific.  At this point she considered Quinn’s “My Lord” to be as close to an affectionate nickname as she would get from him. When he was feeling particularly amorous or possessive he called her “Wife”.   She considered “Wife” a momentous step for Quinn towards a far distant future of “Darling” or “Sweetie-pie”.

 

She stared at the dark metal of the ceiling.  “Lord Vowrawn said you had no thought for your own safety when our ship was attacked by that assassin.”

 

Quinn folded his hands in his lap and nodded confidently.  “The safety of a member of the Dark Council is far more important than my own.”

 

“Perhaps. But he specifically told me you had no thought for your own safety, Malavai, none.  There is bravery and then there is suicidal disregard.   Do you _want_ to die?”

 

Quinn didn’t answer.

 

M sat up, hugged him from behind and whispered, “I’ve told you that you don’t deserve execution, or any other punishment.  Can’t you accept my word as truth? Isn’t that enough?”

 

“I appreciate your propensity for mercy, My Lord, but if our roles had been reversed I might not have been so forgiving.”

 

M growled softly and sat back, pressing her palms to her eyes. “That is obviously untrue.”

 

Quinn shrugged. 

 

She sighed.  “This has gone on long enough.  Very well, Malavai, we’ll do it your way, the hard way.  I see I can’t convince you otherwise.”  She rolled to the other side of the bed and slapped her commlink.  “Jaesa, come to my quarters please.”

 

Quinn looked at her askance.  “She is still on board?  I thought everyone had left the ship.”

 

“I asked her to stay nearby.”  She looked him up and down.  “Take off your jacket, your shirt… and I suppose your boots.”

 

“May I ask why?”

 

“Please just do it.” Quinn paused, and then obediently pulled off his jacket and shirt and folded them carefully before placing them in the soiled clothing locker.  M shook her head. “Quinn, just throw it in the ‘fresher, the droid will press it.”

 

“Is this the proper time for this discussion?”

 

“Vette isn’t wrong when she says you should loosen up.”  Quinn’s obsession with protocol and neatness was part of the reason she loved him, but it was also a long-standing bone of contention between them. Mostly because she couldn’t resist teasing him about it.

 

Quinn smiled tightly.  “I believe my success as an officer is directly related to my attention to detail. Besides, there’s no reason to be careless with Imperial property or to be untidy.” He bent over to pull off his spotless boots, stowing them with equal attention.

M started to reply but was interrupted by a soft chime at the door. Her apprentice Jaesa appeared dressed in exercise gear. A light sheen of perspiration decorated her face, and her straight brown shoulder-length hair was plastered to her face and neck. “Master?”

 

Quinn turned to look at Jaesa, and then fell into his usual military resting stance, standing ramrod straight with his hands folded behind him.

 

Jaesa’s eyes travelled over Quinn’s bare, muscular chest for several seconds and then she averted her gaze.  “Did you need something, Master?”

 

M smiled inwardly at Jaesa’s embarrassment. “Jaesa, I’m sorry to have interrupted your drills.  Do you remember the discussion we had last night about Captain Quinn? Would you be willing to help me with the demonstration I suggested?”

 

Jaesa glanced at Quinn again, who was staring at her suspiciously, as he often did.  In her jarring Republic accent she said, “I’ll do as you ask, Master, but under protest.”

 

Quinn cleared his throat and chastised Jaesa, “You mustn’t question the orders of a Sith Lord.”  He turned and addressed M stiffly as demonstration. “I realize I am guilty of a terrible crime and I accept any punishment you deem appropriate, My Lord.”

 

Jaesa turned to M with concern.  “Master?”

 

M shook her head.  “It’s fine, I promise.” She stood and positioned herself behind Quinn, sliding her arms around his waist.  He tensed, but she paused to enjoy the moment, savoring the warmth of his naked back and listening to the even sound of his breathing. She whispered in his ear, “I do love you, husband.”

 

Quinn glanced at Jaesa, but then turned his head and said softly, “And I love you, Wife.”

 

“Forgive me for what I’m about to do.”

 

Quinn hesitated and then replied, “Of course, My Lord.”

 

M pressed against his back, pushed her lips against the back of his neck and murmured,  “About Jaesa… do you trust her?  Be honest.”

 

He grunted, “Not as such.  But of course I am wary of all our crew.”

 

“Do you resent my connection to her?”

 

Quinn coughed softly.  “That is not my place to say, My Lord.”

 

M smiled to herself.  She knew he resented her closeness with Jaesa and had suspected her of treachery from the day she joined the crew.  And despite Jaesa’s many requests for Quinn to call her “Jaesa” he had taken to calling her by her last name, or even “Apprentice Willsaam” if he was particularly cranky. 

 

M concentrated and used her Voice, feeding her own Force energy into his mind, stirring confusion into his thoughts.  “You feel angry that she’s intruded on our privacy.”

 

Quinn looked at Jaesa and repeated softly, “She’s intruded.” He shook his head.   “I don’t understand why she is here at all.”

 

M murmured, “She’s been teaching me. All this time.”

 

“Teaching you?” Quinn’s voice sounded oddly hollow. 

 

M smiled and met eyes with Jaesa.  She nodded slightly and continued, “She’s a Jedi.  She’s corrupting me and turning me against the Emperor.  She’s drugged you.”

 

Jaesa raised her hand and used her own Voice, “Right, yes, of course. I gave you a… um, really powerful sedative.”

 

“Drugged me?!” He staggered slightly and placed a hand on M’s arm to steady himself.  “Why? And why didn’t you stop her, My Lord?”

 

“We’re going to use you against the Emperor.”  M tightened her hold around Quinn’s waist.  She didn’t want him to attack her apprentice. 

 

Quinn sucked in a breath and hissed, “I knew it!  I knew she was a Republic spy!” Quinn looked longingly at his blaster and knife resting on the shelf across the room. M followed his gaze and used telekinetic force to push his weapons out of sight.  With another thought she reached out to her wardrobe’s top drawer.  It slid open and a pair of binders flew into her hand.  She reached around Quinn and snapped them onto his wrists before he could react.  He tried to pull away belatedly.  “My Lord?” He shook his head again and slurred,  “Something’s not right… drugged…” His eyes fluttered closed and he staggered slightly.  

 

“Jaesa, help me.  Hold onto him.” Jaesa moved forward and gingerly took hold of Quinn’s arms to steady him.  M drew a small remote device from her belt and a hook lowered from a thick wire in the ceiling. After securing Quinn’s binders to the hook, M used the remote to retract the wire and pull his wrists taut above his head so his toes were just barely touching the floor.  She didn’t want him to try to fight them; he’d only get hurt.

 

Quinn regained his senses and he stared at Jaesa and M in shock. He began struggling to free himself.  “My Lord, this is absurd!  You have only to command me…”

 

M admonished him, “Be still, it’s for your own good.”

 

Jaesa raised a brow.  “Master, should I ask why you have manacles and a hook in the ceiling of your quarters?”

 

M made a face.  “I brought the binders in here this morning.  The hook came with the suite.  I shudder to think about what disgusting things Baras and his minions were doing in here before I took possession of the ship.”

 

Jaesa grimaced and then looked at Quinn, who was staring at the two of them in disbelief.  He said, “I insist you let me down!  My Lord, if she is a spy…”

 

M said irritably, “Shush!”

 

Jaesa looked back at M and said under her breath, “This isn’t a good idea.”

 

“Your objection is noted.”  M looked significantly at Quinn and said loud enough for him to hear, “I’ve got the holovid already recording.”  She pointed toward a tiny camera over her desk. She looked at Jaesa and winked, “There’s another one installed over the bed.”

 

“Ew.”

 

The color drained from Quinn’s face as he pondered the camera lens in obvious confusion.  “Is this…? You said you would record…” He gathered himself and nodded solemnly. “I see.  The time has indeed finally come for retribution.   I will try not to disgrace myself.  But I beg you to cast out this traitor.” He swallowed painfully and said, “I do forgive you, My Lord.”

 

M’s heart caught.  He was so proper and valiant; she couldn’t resist him when he was like this.  Usually. She shivered as she repositioned herself behind him. “You’re hopeless, Malavai.  But very brave.” She hugged him and then switched back to her Voice.  “But your intuition was right; Jaesa and I have been lying to you.  We’ve been trying to turn your allegiance.”

 

Quinn was crestfallen. “Lied to me?  My allegiance?”

 

“It’s a plot to turn you and position ourselves to kill the Emperor.”

 

“Kill the Emperor?” Quinn shook his head. “No, that can’t be.”

 

Jaesa moved to face him and lifted her hand, using the full strength of her Voice.

 

“You want to help us.  You want to help me.”

 

Quinn murmured, “Help you?  Help with what? I don’t understand.”

 

M shuddered as she felt the power of Jaesa’s Force suggestion flow through Quinn and past her.  Jaesa’s Voice was the honeyed voice of a trusted friend, the welcoming comfort of sunshine on fresh white sheets, the fresh sweetness of nectar.  Jaesa’s Voice filled her with confidence, clarity and faith.  The false feeling disgusted M.  She didn’t like Jedi mind control; it seemed too much like mental rape even to her pragmatic Sith sensibilities.   She preferred the Sith equivalent, meant to stun or panic victims. It was less personal and more honorable.

 

For his part, Quinn’s mental discipline and spousal familiarity was allowing him to admirably resist her own deceitful whispers, but he was helpless against Jaesa. She could feel him slipping under Jaesa’s spell and she was tempted to stop the whole thing rather than watch him be defeated so terribly.

 

Jaesa smiled and nodded at Quinn.  “I was sent by the Jedi Council to kill the Emperor. To destroy the Empire.”

 

Quinn was convinced now.  His expression dawned with understanding and then twisted with rage.  “You were sent by the Jedi Council?  As I said, My Lord!”

 

His anger thrilled M, and her waning enthusiasm for this exercise sparked back into life.  She ran her hands up and down Quinn’s sides and whispered into his ear, her lips brushing against his skin, “Jaesa will use us to destroy the Empire.”

 

Quinn shook violently and lunged at Jaesa.  “I’ll kill you!”

 

M glanced at Jaesa and murmured, “She seduced me. You’ve lost me.  She’s laughing at you.”

 

Jaesa frowned but persisted, “Yes, I’m laughing at you. Hahaha.”

 

Despite Jaesa’s terrible acting, M trembled with dark fire as Quinn twisted violently and cried out in anguish.  He lunged at Jaesa.  “I’ll kill you, for this, for turning her!”  Jaesa looked up at his wrists with concern.

 

“You’re hurting your hands, Captain.  Master, he’s injuring himself.”

 

Malavai turned his head, trying to see M, his eyes reddened.  His voice became hysterical, babbling. “I’ve failed you. I failed to protect you from her.  But how could you fall to her?  I’ve given you my life, my devotion and my trust!  Is indeed nothing sacrosanct?!” He pulled at his now bleeding wrists and turned back to Jaesa, spitting.  “I’ll kill you!”

 

M licked her lips despite herself and cooed, “Oh Malavai, but you’re so helpless like this.  You can’t hurt either of us now.”

 

Quinn roared at Jaesa,  “You Jedi harpy!  You will _have_ to kill me now, for I swear I’ll kill you the moment I get the opportunity!”  He kicked at her.  “I will tear out your heart! I’ll chew it up and spit it out!”

 

M, her eyes glowing dark red, looked at Jaesa playfully.  “You’ve turned my husband into a cannibal.”

 

Jaesa looked bleak, “I didn’t mean to do that.”

 

Quinn screamed, “You’re everything I despise, you unprincipled, duplicitous, sanctimonious…” He hesitated, searching for a word and finished with, “…slag!”

 

M smiled; if Quinn was confused enough to be using slang it was time to move in for the kill.  Her pulse pounded and her blood was singing because he was heartbroken, and the wound in his heart was gushing.  She said, “Malavai, you love me.  You owe me your life. You’ll do anything for me.  You’ll join us.  No matter how long it takes, we will turn you.” She kissed his shoulder.

 

Jaesa twisted her hands anxiously as Quinn stormed at her, swearing and threatening, his face purple, the vein in his forehead bulging. 

 

M peered over Quinn’s shoulder.  “Make him do the one thing he would hate most.  Make him defect.”

 

Quinn bellowed, “Never!”

 

Jaesa shook her head.  “I can see his true self.  This is worse than any torture for him.  His grief for you alone-”

 

M closed her eyes, feeling the waves of Quinn’s hysterical rage flow over her.  She quivered with dark pleasure and ran her hands across his back and over his chest.  He struggled to pull away without success.  M hissed at Jaesa, “Tell me you don’t feel the power of his righteous fury.  It’s so pure and beautiful.”

 

Jaesa shook her head and stepped forward to urgently whisper, “Master, he’s your husband.  I know you love him; why would you make him suffer like this?  How can you enjoy it?”

 

M opened her eyes and met Jaesa’s, so close to her own, and spoke quickly.  “It isn’t a question of love; it’s a question of power.” She slid her hands up around Quinn’s neck and mouth and squeezed gently.   “Shhh… my darling husband.” Quinn abruptly went completely rigid, panting, waiting.  She pushed her hands up into his hair, her fingers tangling in the dark strands.  She rubbed her cheek on his shoulder blade and continued to lecture her apprentice.

 

“You need to open your dark channels, Jaesa.  It will improve your connection with other people and the world around you.  The dark side is a source of power you can draw upon, that you can use.”  M shuddered as Quinn’s strained to pull his head away.  Even without Jaesa’s special talents she knew this was hell for him.  It was getting harder not to either release and comfort him or just full-on torture and hurt him, and her dark side was getting very enthusiastic.  She couldn’t let this go on much longer.  

 

She pressed against him and pulled her hands down his neck and back. Her body warmed with dark fire and she focused her will on the waves of Quinn’s despair in an attempt to channel them back toward him. “Malavai, my darling, choose now to join us or we will have to convince you the painful and difficult way.”

 

“You will not break me.  Ever.”

 

She turned Quinn to face her and kissed him, and then searched his frantic eyes and said, “How does it feel to be betrayed by the one you love?”

 

Quinn’s face crumpled for a moment and he moaned with sorrow.  He swallowed hard and choked out, “I didn’t realize just how much I injured you, Wife, and you have my deepest apologies. But I beg you to reconsider this course of action.  I will tell no one this has happened and you will continue as before, as the Emperor’s loyal Wrath.  I know you do not wish to kill me.  But I will not turn.”

 

M smiled with pride, and then beamed at Jaesa, “Isn’t he magnificent?  Oh! I have an idea.”

 

Jaesa swayed in confusion.  “Yes?”

 

M said in her Voice, “My darling, you’re right, I would never kill you.  But we do need to convince you.  So, Jaesa is going to torment you now with her evil, wicked and depraved Jedi powers. Wherever she touches your skin you will feel unbelievable pain, burning, stabbing pain.  It won’t injure you, but it will be worse pain than you ever have felt or imagined.” 

 

Quinn scoffed, “She may do her worst.  I do not blame you, My Lord.  This Jedi has poisoned you and it is she who is accountable.”

 

“You're so sweet to say so.  I'm sorry this is going to hurt you so terribly.”  She nodded to Jaesa.

 

Jaesa frowned and shook her head.  “No, I won’t do it.”

 

M leapt toward Jaesa like lightning and pulled her away from Quinn. She snarled softly, “Did you just say no to me?”

 

“I can’t do this.  It’s horrible.”

 

“I feel your fear.”

 

“I’m not afraid of you.  I’m afraid _for_ you, Master.”

 

“Don’t let your fear distract you,” M hissed, “but don’t close it down either. Channel the emotion, and add it to your power.”

 

“It’s hard to do both.” Jaesa’s eyes strayed to Quinn, who was glaring at her with undisguised hatred. “I don’t want to hurt him.”

 

“He won’t be injured. He’s perfectly safe.” M looked over her shoulder at Quinn and said at full voice, “He is very loud when he wants to be.  Would his screaming bother you?  It will bother me.  I probably have something I could gag him with.”

 

“What?! No, Master!  How can you just…?”

 

“Jaesa,” M said, leaning close again, “Better us than some enemy Sith or Jedi.  Right? Right.” M straightened and thought for a moment.  She moved to the room’s wardrobe to draw out a stack of Quinn’s impeccably clean and crisply folded handkerchiefs.  She smiled at his initials on the cloths and took one and pushed it into her belt. She displayed the remaining ones to Jaesa and Malavai.  “These should work.”

 

“Please, Master.”

 

M glared at Jaesa, “Just touch him with your hand, that’s all.”

 

“Stay away from me!” Quinn growled at Jaesa and then turned his head toward his wife.  “Do not touch me again!  You are not yourself.”

 

M’s eyes flared crimson as she tut-tutted, “Yes, I’m sorry, my darling, it will be over soon, I promise.” She grabbed Quinn by the back of the neck and wadded the cloths one after the other into his mouth. When she’d pushed the last of them in she kissed his ear and whispered, “Yes, now, that’s my wonderful man, isn’t that better?”   He grunted indignantly and glared at her.  She turned and said, “There you are, Jaesa.  Now he won’t make so much noise.  Just touch him. And Malavai, my darling,” she moved behind him, kissed his shoulder, summoned her will and used her full Voice to stoke his fear saying, “behold the power of the Force as it burns you for your failures.”

 

Jaesa hesitated, and then moved forward and pressed her hand flat against his bare chest.

 

Quinn convulsed in agony, his muffled screams still sharp enough to echo off of the dark metal walls and floor of the stateroom.  His body bucked and jerked, his veins standing in relief against the locked muscles of his neck.  M basked in the purity of his anguish and fury and slid her arms around him again, pressing her cheek between his shoulder blades to hold him as he jerked in paroxysms of pain.  She let the sensation roll around in her head for a moment and then pushed Jaesa’s hand away.  “That’s enough.” Quinn hung limply, breathing hard and whimpering.

 

M used her Voice and said, “That pain was too much to bear. You’ll do anything to avoid it again.  Say you’ll turn.”

 

Quinn shook his head.

 

She growled in vexation and the room reverberated with the low Force-driven harmonics her throat created.  She struggled to master her frustration and said sweetly, “Don’t waste time with needless suffering, Malavai.  We’ll let you down and heal you and I’ll make love to you. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

 

Quinn, confused, nodded momentarily and then shook his head weakly, a tear rolling down his cheek. M caught the drop with her fingertip, and then touched it to her lips.  Her ears roared with power.She licked her lips.

 

Jaesa put her hand to her own mouth, “I think I’m going to be sick.”

 

M nuzzled Quinn’s back.  “He’ll eventually thank you, I expect.”

 

Quinn grunted and shook his head with greater strength.

 

Jaesa fretted, “Is he hurt badly?”

 

M ran her tongue slowly down Quinn’s spine, savoring the salty taste of his sweat.  He moaned in misery.  

 

“No, he’s delicious… Touch him again, Jaesa. He wants you to do it. Don’t you, Quinn?”

 

Quinn shook his head.

 

Jaesa closed her eyes and pressed her palm against his pale chest. Quinn’s body contorted, seizing and trembling as he choked and gagged in pain. M held him and bit him lightly, murmuring in her Voice, “Oh it hurts so terribly, my darling.” Jaesa pulled her hand away and stepped back.  M breathed, “Oh, he’s angry, very angry.”

 

Jaesa looked away.  “This is wrong.”

 

“He’s so brave and strong, isn’t he?” M looked up at Quinn and stroked his hair.   “We can’t convince you with pain like any ordinary man, can we, my darling?” She kissed his shoulder.

 

Quinn groaned and shook his head, trying to work the gag out of his mouth. Jaesa backed away but M watched him in amusement and couldn’t resist caressing his cheek and neck as he tried to spit out the cloths.  Finally they all fell to the ground and he choked out, “You may torture and kill me, but I will never betray the Emperor!”

 

“Oh, Malavai.  Yes you will. Jaesa, let’s end it.” M pushed her hand against the back of Quinn’s head and said, “You love me, Malavai.  You’ll do anything for me.”

 

He struggled to compose himself and said haltingly, “I will… save you.”

 

“No need, my darling.” She held him close and concentrated her will.  She had to divide his attention so Jaesa could finish him.  Purple sparks danced around the two of them and her skin tingled.  She felt his muscles tense in reaction to the Force-driven electric current.  “But Malavai, we can see a better way to run the Empire.  The Emperor is wrong.  We have to destroy him.”

 

He gritted out, “…the Empire… shall not fall…”

 

Jaesa lifted her hand and used the full force of her power.  “You want to join the Republic. You want us to arrange for your defection.”

 

Quinn said breathlessly, “…defection?”

 

M shivered, “Yes we’ll defect and all be together and happy.  It’s for the best.  You can save me.”

 

Quinn’s shoulders heaved with a great sob and in a strangled whisper he said, “Yes, we’ll… be together. I can save you.”

 

Jaesa sighed with relief. “And now you’ll swear to uphold the Republic and work with us to make the universe a better place.  It’s what you’ve always wanted.”

 

Quinn let out a deep, shuddering breath.  “I’ve always wanted that.  I want to join the Republic.  Of course.” He hung from his wrists, no longer fighting, exhausted and beaten.  “I’ve always wanted that.”

 

M sighed regretfully and released her spell.  As the last purple sparks evaporated she hugged Quinn tightly.  “Well Jaesa,” she said, “we’ve broken my husband.   Surely this will be enough proof for even him.   Now please fix him.  He’s terribly upset and confused and I want to take him to bed.”

 

Jaesa nodded, her face white, “Yes, Master.” She raised her right hand, lifted Quinn’s chin with her left hand, and slipped back easily into her Voice. “This has all been a dream.”

 

Quinn looked up at Jaesa bitterly and croaked, “You can’t trick me.”

 

M lifted her hand as well, pushing it around his neck and up his cheek. “No, my darling, this isn’t real.  This is all a misunderstanding.”

 

Quinn turned his head slightly and asked hoarsely, “A dream? Why did you betray me?”

 

“I didn’t betray you, my wonderful man.”

 

“You didn’t betray me?” Quinn gulped, his eyes reddened with tears.

 

“I would never betray you, Malavai.  I love you.”

 

“I don’t understand…”

 

Jaesa interrupted, “None of this is real.  You’re so tired.”

 

“…so tired.”

 

Jaesa said softly, “Sleep now.  When you awaken you will realize none of these things we have said to you were true. You will have control over your own will again.  You will feel safe and content.”

 

“…sleep.” Malavai’s eyes fluttered heavily and then he was asleep.

 

Once M was convinced he was truly unconscious she lifted him slightly to take some of the weight off his wrists.  As she did so she said, “Jaesa, you criticize me for relishing Quinn’s ordeal, but to me, your Jedi mind control powers are far more violating than any physical pain could be.”

 

Jaesa tensed.  “The technique is supposed to reduce the need for violence, not increase it.”

 

“It is violence against the soul.” M shook her head. “And my mind controlling skills are nothing compared to yours. You took him from roaring pain and rage and despair to sleep in only a few moments.  I’ve never heard of anyone being so compelling.”

 

Jaesa nodded grimly and motioned to Quinn.  “We should take him down from that hook.  I can heal his hands.”

 

M looked up at the ceiling.  “I’ll do it.  You’d better leave in case he wakes up too soon.  I think he’ll be feeling a little bit cross.”

 

Jaesa smiled mirthlessly.  “I had no idea he was so dark, or that he hated me so much.”

 

M keyed the remote and slowly lowered the hook, holding onto her husband. “Malavai is a very passionate man, once you get past that emotional barricade he has up most of the time. And he’s amazing in the sack.”

 

Jaesa winced. “That is possibly more information than I need to hear, Master.”

 

M continued, not acknowledging Jaesa’s reaction.  “…but he doesn’t hate you.  He’s just suspicious and overly protective of me and the Empire.” She grunted as he fell limply against her, his bound arms hanging slack.  “Hopefully he won’t attack me when he wakes up.”

 

Jaesa frowned.  “He might want revenge once he sees that recording.”

 

M lifted her husband and then gently deposited him on the bed. She smoothed his hair back from his forehead.  “That’s my concern.  Go and meditate; we’ll have a lot to talk about in the coming days.  And we’ll do some exercises that will be less upsetting to you. I promise this will make sense after some contemplation.”

 

“Yes, Master.”

 

“And Jaesa.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“I’m glad you’re on our side.”

 

Jaesa nodded, bowed slightly and then left the room.

 


	2. Quinn is Angry with his Wife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn wakes up and is extremely cross.

M sat next to Quinn and ran her fingers lightly over his chest, biting her lip, tamping down the desire she felt for him. He never showed a bit of cowardice, not once. “You are an amazing man, Quinn.” She had never wanted him as much as she did now, and mused whether he’d forgive her if she molested him a bit while he was unconscious. She decided regretfully against it. He’d definitely be cross.

She climbed over him onto the bed and stretched out on her side next to him, throwing her leg over his, and pulled a pillow under her head. She stared at his sleeping profile and with her free hand played with his fingers and the still-secured binders. She liked the way they looked on him and decided she should buy him a bracelet, perhaps a black durasteel bracelet to match the black durasteel ring around her finger. Quinn had given it to her as a gift when they were married. It had the name “Quinn” engraved on it in Aurebesh and on the day he’s presented it to her he’d asked her to promise to never take it off. She smiled at the memory and then frowned at Quinn’s injured wrists. 

After pulling the clean handkerchief out of her belt, she concentrated her lust and used the power to heal his scrapes and bruises. She used the cloth to wipe away the residual blood and the sweat from his wrists, face and chest. Then she relaxed back on the pillow, closed her eyes and listened to his peaceful breathing for a long time. 

“What…?” Malavai’s voice was groggy.

M sat up with a start and lightly bounced up to straddle her husband. She peered down at him. “What?”

“Wh… what?”

“What?!”

Malavai frowned. “Stop saying ‘what’.”

“Do you forgive me? You said you would.”

“Forgive you?” Malavai blinked and took a long moment to consider the situation. “Why am I shackled? What…?”

“I’m sitting on you because a little while ago you were terribly angry with me. I don’t blame you. What do you remember?”

He frowned. “My memory is a bit confused. I remember…” His face clouded over, “I remember you and your apprentice confessing to being spies and then…” He let out a breath and said calmly, “…and then you tortured me.”

M tried to look innocent. “We aren’t actually spies.”

“It seems very much as a dream would. I suppose if those events were real I would not be uninjured now. Although…”

M grinned, “Although?” She wiggled her bottom slightly.

“Although…” he looked at her sternly, “…we come back to the fact that you are sitting on me, and I am handcuffed. You did torture me, didn’t you?”

M pouted, “You never want me to torture you, Quinn.” 

Quinn arched a brow, incredulous. “No, I don’t, My Lord, because that is not what normal people do.”

“Yes, yes, ‘normal people’. You married a Sith, my husband.”

“And you married a normal person, my wife.” Quinn’s expression hardened. “The events of the past hour are starting to come back to me clearly and they are extremely unpleasant. Where is your apprentice?” 

M bent forward to press her forehead to his. “I sent her away. Now please, just stay calm. I’ve recorded everything that happened so you can see. Will you promise me to watch the holovid all the way through before you get angry?”

Quinn pushed her back angrily with his bound hands. He was fully awake now. “What in the-?! Did you drug me?”

M caught his hands in hers and she sobered. “No one drugged you, but I have done a terrible thing to you, Malavai. But it was for your own good and if you just watch the holovid and I explain it all you’ll understand and forgive me. You did say you would forgive me.” 

“What of the Emperor?”

“I’m sure he’s fine. I’m still His Wrath.”

Quinn sighed, relieved. “Take off these manacles, please.”

M shook her head. “I don’t want you trying to stab or strangle me or… go running off to shoot people… until you see the whole holov-“

Quinn gritted his teeth. “I am in control of my emotions. Take. Them. Off.”

M sighed, her dark Force power-inspired lust fading. “I’m going to play the recording from the beginning. Quinn, I am ordering you to watch it. If you won’t sit and watch it peacefully, I’m chaining you back up to the ceiling and not letting you down until you do watch it.”

Quinn sputtered, “What?!”

M pointed at the hook dangling from the ceiling. “I understand you’re upset. I want you to watch this and pay attention to how quickly we were able to influence your mind. How quickly you became a traitor.”

Quinn stiffened and bellowed, “A traitor?! I insist you take these off!”

M shook her head, grabbed his wrists and pulled him to the edge of the bed to sit beside her. Amidst his protestations she thumbed her remote and started the holovid playback. It began with Jaesa walking in the room and saying, “Did you need something, Master?”

Quinn shook his head in frustration but soon his attention was riveted on the holographic display. He sat in rigid silence throughout the playback, not even twitching as he watched his recorded self writhing in agony at Jaesa’s touch. Although M could feel the anger beside her, she couldn’t help but admire how lovely her husband looked both in person and in the recording. She wondered if she could convince him to go barechested all of the time. Probably not.

Finally it was over, and they sat in silence for several very long minutes. Then Quinn took a long, measured breath and said calmly, “You’re right, I am going to kill you.”

M made a little moue of disappointment. “Don’t be like that, Quinn.”

“What exactly was that horrific stunt supposed to prove?”

“I thought you looked rather beautiful.”

Quinn barked with anger, “Enough! This is not a joke. I insist you destroy that recording.”

M nodded. “I will. I understand you’re upset…”

“Why was your apprentice involved with this perverse game?! Was this all part of a plan to humiliate me? Was Pierce also involved with this?!”

“No, no to all of those things. Of course not.”

“Explain.”

“Malavai…”

“Explain!”

M smiled to herself; Quinn was so sexy when he was angry. She said, “Jaesa had to be a part of it. First because you don’t completely trust her, so it would be easy to convince you she was a spy, second because she’s phenomenally talented at mind control, and third because she’s the only other person who knows what happened that day.”

“At the transponder station.”

“Yes. I asked her to help me cure you of your death wish.”

Quinn clenched his fists until his knuckles went white. “…keep talking… My Lord.”

“Are you finally going to listen?”

“I am listening, My Lord.” 

“Then hear me.” Quinn worked his jaw as she continued, “At that station you didn’t try to kill me. Those droids you claimed to have perfectly calibrated to murder me were laughable. You’ve fought droids with me more times than I can count; you know exactly what’s capable of beating me into submission. But those droids barely scratched me. And let’s face it, if you were shooting at me, your aim was complete rubbish.”

Quinn remained silent. She could feel his boiling indignation rolling over her. It was very distracting.

She continued, “So I believe there are two scenarios in which you could be so completely and uncharacteristically incompetent. The first is that you deliberately had decided to double cross Baras, and that he had you under surveillance. So you had to put on a show for his benefit supporting the fiction that you were carrying out his wishes when you were in fact assuring my safety. I can only assume you expected that I would kill you in self-defense.” M squeezed Quinn’s arm. “I wouldn’t have. I didn’t.”

He grunted noncommittally.

M patted his arm and said, “That’s the first scenario. I realize you wouldn’t easily admit to double-crossing a Sith Lord, even if it were Baras, so you don’t have to say anything.”

Quinn ground his teeth hard. It sounded painful.

“The second possibility is that when Baras set you up on this mission he instilled a little nasty Jedi-type mind control over you. I’ve noticed that many of Baras’s followers were far too enthusiastic about serving him. You can rule people with fear and manipulation, but that sort of religious zeal from officers and apprentices usually only comes with mind control or drugs. I’m guessing you were in semi-regular contact with Baras and he would fortify his hold over you each time you spoke. I’m also guessing that he encouraged you to respond to my advances, but you didn’t tell him we were falling in love. So when he ordered you to finish me off at that station, he hadn’t accounted for your feelings for me. It was at that point you laid a trap for me that you subconsciously knew would fail.”

Quinn let out a breath. “Go on.”

“What truly happened may have been some combination of those scenarios and you’ve been suffering unnecessarily ever since. Malavai, I’m Sith; I could feel your sorrow and regret even as you were telling me you were betraying me.”

Quinn frowned. “I should have guarded my feelings more carefully.”

She said gently, “You’re a terribly brave man, but you thought you were facing your death. You’re being too hard on yourself.”

“It was a tactical error.”

M suppressed an affectionate smile. No one was harder on Quinn than Quinn himself. “Regardless, I believe you were a victim of mind manipulation and I want to be sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Quinn cocked his head and pulled in a long ragged breath, “I see. So to be sure I didn’t get mind-controlled again you had your Jedi apprentice control my mind?!”

M cringed. “Surely you saw she wasn’t a willing accomplice. And we’d talked it over and I felt that if we did this… little demonstration… and then showed you the recording, any of Jaesa’s mind tricks would be neutralized. So there would be no harm done.”

“No harm done?!”

“Well… no long-term harm.”

“And what about your mind tricks?”

M sighed, “I know. I’m not much good at complicated mind control. What I can do well primarily involves making opponents feel generalized terror or confusion. Just altering someone’s opinion takes far more concentration.”

“That is not what I mean.”

M licked her lips. “Oh. Well, you can watch the recording again. If you still think any of that bollocks about me wanting to kill the Emperor is true you can string me up on the ceiling yourself.”

Quinn mulled that over. “I’ll keep that option open, My Lord, but that isn’t what I meant either.”

“Then what?”

“How do I know you haven’t done this before?”

M paused, confused. “Because I haven’t?”

He looked at her. “Do I truly love and admire you, or is this your will forcing itself upon me?”

M sucked in a breath. It hadn’t occurred to her that he might think such a thing. “I swear to you, I’ve never before used the Force or anything else untoward to influence you. Not even when you’ve been stubborn and annoying. If for no other reason than that I find mind control repellent. And to forcibly turn your allegiance to mine would take a lot of effort, for me anyway. And it would slowly destroy you. After all this time you’d be able to detect your brain’s deterioration with a med scan.”

Quinn gritted his teeth. “And how do I know you aren’t indeed fornicating with Lieutenant Pierce?”

"For the love of…” M glared at Quinn. “Will you let that go already?! I'm not sleeping with Pierce!”

“How can I trust you?” 

“We should go do a medscan right now to prove-“

“A pointless exercise. How can I trust you won’t alter my perception of the test? How can I trust anything you have ever, or will ever say?”

M’s heart sank. “I just wanted you to see how easy it would be for a Force-user, especially a Jedi, to compromise you, or any of the crew. You’ve been so stubborn about the whole concept.”

“Stubborn. Right.” Quinn gritted his teeth. “But I ask again. How can I trust you? Ever? Again?”

“By letting me train you to know when someone is trying to influence your mind. To teach you how to fight it.”

Quinn considered her words. 

M persisted. “Malavai, I want to have your child. Your child. Not Pierce’s, not anyone else’s. And I would never want to have a child with a man I had to manipulate to stay with me.”

Quinn said nothing.

M felt a surge of panic. “Look, if you think I’m controlling you, knock me out. Drug me, put me under, seal me in carbonite, whatever you want to get my mind to lose activity and it should sever the connection. We can go right now to the med bay and you can do it.”

Quinn exhaled slowly and shook his head. “I would never risk your life in such a way.”

“You should do it to remove any doubt. I’ll call Jaesa back and you can put us both under.”

“You are the Emperor’s Wrath. It would be treasonous to do such a thing to you.”

They sat in silence for a long time.

Finally, M let out a heavy sigh. “Malavai, you’ve said you wanted to die for what happened. That you felt you hadn’t adequately paid for your crime. Now you know how I felt when you betrayed me. Surely what we did… what I did… was punishment enough.”

“Perhaps. And I do apologize again for emotionally hurting you so terribly with my betrayal.”

“I forgave you months ago.”

Quinn studied her carefully and sighed. "Well then, I suppose I must forgive you as well, My Lord. However, I must also point out that you enjoyed tormenting me more than seems proper for a loving spouse. Or a Sith lord who is pleased with her officer.”

“I didn’t enjoy it, I’m Sith. I’m connected to it; it’s part of me. It doesn’t mean I don’t love you. I just get a rush from pain, fear, lust and rage. It’s potent dark force energy. I knew you weren’t in any real danger and you wouldn’t suffer real harm. I didn’t really want you to be in that kind of pain, but when it happened… I couldn’t help but be affected.”

Quinn shook his head, sighed and then scratched his forehead with his bound hands. “Would you please take these things off?”

“You don’t want to stab me?”

Quinn raised a brow; “I can control the urge for now, My Lord.”

M nodded and keyed in the release code. The cuffs fell to the floor. Quinn immediately grabbed her wrists and pushed her back on the bed. She squeaked. He loomed over her and growled, “If you ever do anything like this again…”

M nodded up at him solemnly, “I swear I never will. Jaesa and I-“

Quinn tightened his grip on her wrists and shook her. “Never. Again.”

“We’re going to train you and the others how to resist if someone’s using their Voice on you…” He shook her again and she cried out, “Only with your consent! I’ll never do it again like this and no one else will either.”

He narrowed his eyes. “If you or she tells anyone about this…”

“We won’t; Jaesa’s already proven she can be discreet. But you have to promise me something as well.”

Quinn gave her an exasperated shake and shouted, “If you wanted promises from me you should have extracted them while you were torturing me!” His grip tightened painfully.

M winced. “I want you to promise you will never again say you want to be punished or executed over your supposed betrayal. Surely this was enough.”

“Even interrogatory torture would have been reasonable, My Lord, and within your rights. But this betrayal scenario you enacted was intolerable.”

“I had to do this. I couldn’t chance you letting yourself get killed by taking unnecessary risks as you have been doing. As you did with Lord Vowrawn.”

Quinn took a deep breath. He said more softly, “Yes, you’ve made your point. And you’ve also made your point that you could subdue and torment me whenever you want because of your Sith powers. I did know that, by the way, before this little charade.”

“Aha!” M crowed. She waggled her fingers up at Quinn. “You admit that you know you can’t beat me in a fight! Any fight!”

Quinn frowned and relaxed his grip slightly. “Well, of course.”

“So if you know that, then you knew you couldn’t beat me by luring me into your little pathetic droid trap and therefore you didn’t betray me. I WIN.”

Quinn’s expression was thunderous. “You… win?!”

M’s smile faded, “I know you’re angry and-”

“Of course I’m angry!” He lowered his full weight on her. His face hovered over hers. “You hung me up by my wrists, scared me half to death and tortured me like a common criminal! I’d be a half-wit not to be furious.”

“You didn’t seem scared.” M countered. “You were very brave, actually.” 

Quinn narrowed his eyes at her. “And if you were going to torture me, you could have at least done me the simple courtesy of doing it yourself instead of using your apprentice’s perverted Jedi pain trick.”

M was distracted by his breath on her face and the pressure of his hips on hers. She felt a rush of lust and her pulse quickened. “I did, actually. Jaesa didn’t do anything more than touch you with her bare hand. I just told you it would be painful and your mind did the rest. So actually, you tortured yourself.”

“I see.” Quinn nodded angrily. “I see.” He paused to think and M wanted him to kiss her. She desperately wanted him to kiss her more than she ever had in her life. But he didn’t. “You know,” he said, “you could have just tricked me into eating Corellian stewfruit. I despise the stuff.”

M snorted, “Jaesa suggested something of the sort. But I didn’t feel it had the same persuasive power as getting you to renounce the Empire.”

Quinn growled. “You owe me for that, My Lord. I feel disgusted that the words left my mouth. I would rather you had torn out my tongue.”

“I know. It was terrible. I’m sorry.”

“And…” his voice softened, “you made me think you were lost to me.”

“I never will be, I swear to you; I’m yours as long as I live.”

He searched her eyes. “You are an infuriating woman.”

She smiled, “Admit that you didn’t betray me before.”

“No, My Lord. For the moment, I refuse.”

M looked up at him, incredulous. “Malavai Quinn, you are the most stubborn, hard-headed man I have ever met.”

“Yes.”

“Are you… still thinking about killing me?”

The corner of his lip twitched upwards. “Possibly.”

M breathed an inward sigh of relief. He was going to forgive her, at least eventually. She said, “You really shouldn’t kill me. It would make the Emperor terribly cross with you.”

“Hm.”

“Quinn?”

“I’m still deliberating the matter!”

“Well, either kill me or kiss me. I’m very impatient.”

Quinn growled. “Unless you directly order me to do so, I will not kiss you… for now, My Lord.”

M’s face fell, “Oh, Malavai.”

He searched her face for a few more moments and then sighed. “However, I will also not attempt to harm you… or your apprentice. I’m going to go do some calisthenics, take a shower and have a stiff drink.” He looked down at her sternly. “And then I’ll decide.”

“Yes, Malavai.”

“I shall return prior to lights out.”

M looked up at him solemnly. “Yes, Malavai.”

Quinn paused to search her eyes, and then released her wrists and pushed himself off the bed. He grabbed a few items out of their wardrobe and padded out of the room, pausing to cluck at the wrinkled and soggy handkerchiefs strewn on the floor. “And pick those up. My Lord.” He sighed and added, “Please.”

M smiled, rubbing her wrists, “Yes, Malavai.”

An hour later, M was relaxing on the bed catching up on correspondence when a freshly washed and groomed Malavai Quinn leaned into the room and said, “I don’t particularly enjoy drinking, much less drinking alone. And you have further apologies to make. Are you coming, Wife?”

“Coming, Husband.”

“The drinks are on you.”

“Yes, dear.”


	3. Quinn Makes a Confession at the Bar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn confesses about the events in the transponder station

M and Quinn made their way through the spaceport and into Kaas City without much interference, although an overly enthusiastic young officer recognized M and introduced himself near the main gate. He was young, handsome and complimentary, and Quinn’s mood got blacker every second the admirer spoke with her. She excused herself from his attentions and she and Quinn took a taxi into the city and strolled to the cantina. Once they arrived, Quinn ordered drinks for them both and brought them to a table in the corner of the main floor that M considered her own when she was planetside. Her corner always became private the moment M sat down since wise customers did not want to sit near a full-fledged Sith Lord; they always cleared out without needing to be asked. In the old days, when M had been only a lowly apprentice, she and Vette had become very friendly with the bartender and regular staff, and so she preferred the main room to the pretentious private suites. 

Once Quinn sat down M sipped her ale, and Quinn frowned into his steaming mug of spiced tea.

Twenty minutes later M’s ale was gone and Quinn hadn’t touched his drink or spoken a word. M knew better than to coax conversation out of him when he was cross, so she ordered some food for the two of them and a tea for herself. 

The Nexus Room Cantina was the main gathering place for off-duty officials and visitors to Kaas City, and was far more lively than any regulation Imperial cantina she’d seen offworld. There was music being played by a droid band and Twi’lek dancers displayed their talents live and on holofeed. Pleasure slaves of both genders and several species were scattered throughout the bar, although they mostly worked the private rooms. A tasteful flickering blue light art installation marked the center of the otherwise dark main room, making tables like the one she and Quinn were sitting at perfect for private conversation.

A pretty brunette human waitress brought their food. M grabbed a fried crispic and bit into it, delighting in the flaky crust. She didn’t want to know what the meat filling was made of, but it was spicy, hot and delicious. She hadn’t known she was so hungry and realized with a twinge of guilt that she’d worked up an appetite tormenting her devoted husband. She peered at him over her meat pie. He was still staring fixedly at his drink, which was surely cold by now. She sighed and Quinn looked at her sharply. She froze, her mouth half full of crispic.

She mumbled, “What is it, Quinn?”

Quinn sat up abruptly and straightened his tunic. He glanced at the plate of snacks. “I apologize, My Lord, I was absorbed in my thoughts. I hadn’t realized you’d ordered refreshments.”

M nodded and swallowed. “Help yourself.”

“Thank you,” he said, not moving to take any food. 

M set down her pie, folded her hands and looked at Quinn expectantly. He went back to staring at his drink, so she picked up her pie and continued eating. It was going to be a long night.

Over the next hour, M contented herself with studying every detail of Quinn’s lovely face and figure while he studied every detail of his beverage. After she finished her food she rested her elbows on the table with her chin on her fists, ogling him like a lovesick schoolgirl. She wondered if he had many girlfriends when he was young. He probably had admirers at least; his dark blue eyes were irresistible. She smiled at the thought of those eyes on a younger Quinn, undoubtedly just as solemn and proper as he was today. She was considering the merits of his long dark eyelashes when he suddenly looked up at her again, “My Lord.”

“Yes… em… Quinn?”

“I owe you an apology.”

M blinked. “Do you?”

“I have considered this afternoon’s events very carefully and although I do not necessarily agree with your methods, I realize you had my best interest, as well as the crew’s interest in mind. I should not have become so angry with you afterwards. I apologize for any discomfort I may have caused.”

M buried her face in her hands. “I give up.”

“My Lord?”

“Discomfort you have caused me? You?”

“I realize I may have injured your wrists. And I was unforgivably disrespectful.”

M groaned and put her forehead on the table. She pounded it against the surface several times.

Quinn touched her shoulder, “My Lord, are you ill?”

M looked up. “What is this? Toadying? From you. My husband. The future father of my children. To me? Your wife? The mother of your children? Bootlicking? Really?”

Quinn was scandalized. “Certainly not!”

“Then what are you saying? Of course you didn’t hurt me. Of course you don’t owe me an apology.”

Quinn drew his hand back and curled it around his drink.

She poked his shoulder, “Don’t start staring at your drink again until we figure this out.”

Quinn nodded and took a deep breath. “Perhaps the time has come for me to be completely honest with you.”

She raised a brow. “You can always be honest with me.”

Quinn opened his mouth to speak and closed it again.

She leaned forward. “Are you afraid to tell me something? I can’t imagine you can tell me anything worse than ‘I tricked you into coming to this isolated station and I’m going to kill you now with my war droids and everything I’ve ever told you was a lie even though we’re married.’ And I forgave you for that one long ago.”

Quinn winced. “The problem, My Lord, is that when one keeps a secret for too long, it becomes increasingly difficult to confess the truth. However,” he frowned, “you have guessed much of the truth, so I should finally lay this matter to rest.”

She waited.

“Do you remember, long ago, on Balmorra, when I pledged myself to you?”

M smiled. “You even kneeled. It was incredibly sexy.”

Quinn shook his head. “I did so under Lord Baras’s orders.”

She squeezed his hand. “It was still sexy.”

“It was a deception, My Lord, one that I regret every day.”

M raised a brow. “You regret your pledge.”

“No, of course not!” He grasped her hand between both of his. “You have my loyalty, my love, I swear by my life. What I regret was joining you under false pretenses. That I was so deceived by Lord Baras.”

“I don’t blame you for that, Malavai. He was very powerful. He took advantage of your situation with Broysc and he played with your mind.”

Quinn pulled his hands back and shook his head. He licked his lips, “You have to understand, My Lord. I was prepared to die at that ambush site. Where I lured you.”

M folded her arms and leaned back in her chair. “I know.”

“I fully expected to die. Before we left port I even posted an updated last will and testament to the Section Authority. I left most of my investments to my mother and a few items of personal sentimental value to you.” 

M grimaced. “I would have felt terrible if I’d killed you and you’d left me a present.”

“The ship droid was to give you a message when you returned to the ship without me or with my corpse. I wished you to know my feelings for you were not a fabrication.”

“But then why would you go through with it? If you were going to tell me the truth anyway?”

Quinn shrugged. “As I travelled with you, it became increasingly apparent to me that Lord Baras was a traitor to the Empire. However, Lord Baras had insinuated that if I did not carry through with my mission that my family would be at risk. My cousin is a decorated officer but could easily have fallen prey to an experienced assassin. Certainly my mother is no match for Baras’s agents.”

“Why didn’t you just tell me?!”

“As you surmised, the ship and my movements were under constant surveillance. My ambush was the only way to save you and… well,” he paused, “I expected to die, either at your hand or at the hand of Lord Baras’s assassins. And when you…” he paused again. 

“Go on.”

He frowned. “And when you forgave me, and further promised me the protection afforded by remaining on your ship, I found myself in a quandary. You see…” He put a hand to his left rib cage. “Do you remember the wound I sustained?”

M nodded. During the fight she had initially dazed Quinn with a blow to the temple with the hilt of her saber, knocking him to the ground. After she had destroyed the two war droids, she had turned back to Quinn, fended off his pistol shots with her blades and then pulled the gun from his hand. But he had been bleeding on his left side. “You were hurt quite badly. I thought that was a droid shot I’d deflected and it hit you.”

“No. I shot myself once I saw you were beating the droids as expected.”

“What?!”

“I’d planned it quite carefully, My Lord. I expected you would slay me and I didn’t want you to find the transmitter Baras had implanted under my skin. The shot destroyed it.”

M closed her eyes and shook her head. “Malavai…”

“Let me finish, My Lord.”

“That was a deep wound. You could have died.”

“Please allow me to finish my story.”

M nodded.

“I also did not wish for the implant to continue transmitting after my death. Knowing your penchant for sentimentality, you might carry my remains around in the hold for a long time.”

M sighed, “You’re probably right.” She imagined a carbonite-frozen Malavai-fresco on the wall of her quarters. She wondered absently if it would be considered odd to keep one’s dead spouse displayed on one’s bedroom wall. 

But Malavai was still talking. He said, “Of course I had 2V-R8 sweep the entire ship for listening devices when I came back aboard. I also sent a coded message to my cousin to warn him and to ask him to protect my mother and sister. The loss of my transmitter data as well as the course of the battle fooled Lord Baras into believing I was dead long enough to get word to my family.”

“Were they hurt?”

“Thank you for asking, My Lord. No, they took adequate precautions.”

“You are a clever man, Malavai Quinn.”

“Thank you, My Lord.” He folded his hands on the table in front of him. “But, My Lord, would it be presumptuous to ask if you would not tell the others that I betrayed Lord Baras? I have enough difficulty trying to convince Lieutenant Pierce the importance of following orders as it is.”

M raised a brow. “I think it is fairly common knowledge that you countermanded the orders of that maniac Broysc at the Battle of Druckenwell and saved all those men. What you did was heroic, but it was technically mutiny.”

Quinn let out a long, slow breath and then said, “And the price I paid for my mutiny was dishonor and demotion. I was fortunate not to have been executed. But I remain unpunished for my duplicity with respect to Lord Baras.”

M studied Quinn. Perhaps this was the crux of the problem: the mere act of mutiny was what he really wanted to be disciplined for. And since Baras was no longer around to exact revenge Quinn was determined to punish himself. She said gently, “There’s never been any reason to tell the rest of the crew. Your secret is safe with me.” 

Quinn swallowed deeply and said, “Thank you, My Lord. But I must finish my confession. When you stood over me at that station, and then you not only spared me, but asked me to keep my place in your crew and remain your husband, I was thrilled, of course. But I still expected you to punish me. As an example to the others, surely. I’ve seen loyal officers maimed terribly by Sith Lords for a far less offense than mine.”

“That’s not how I operate. There’s no point to enfeebling people who work for you. It just makes the crew less efficient.”

“I realize that, My Lord. But yet… and here I come to my point: Given my machinations and trespass against you, this afternoon when you said to forgive you for what you were about to do…” He motioned helplessly with his hands. “You see I thought perhaps given my status as your spouse that you wanted to punish me semi-privately to protect my pride. In front of the only witness to my crime.”

M rubbed her temples with frustration. “That’s not how I operate! You didn’t betray me. There’s no penalty necessary!” 

“Regardless, today I expected an interrogation device or even,” he gulped, “the humiliation of a slave collar, or at least flogging or maiming or-“

M quickly leaned forward and grasped his forearm. “Malavai, I would never, ever leave a mark on your beautiful body. I would never torture you in a way that would truly harm you. I swear to you. I swear by my life.”

Quinn licked his lips and nodded. “Thank you, My Lord.”

“Malavai, I will never hurt you. And if you still want to be… or need to be disciplined for your betrayal of that traitor Baras then consider this: today your sentence was executed. It’s over.”

Quinn started and looked at her thoughtfully. “I have indeed harbored an uneasiness concerning my actions against Lord Baras. I do not give you sufficient credit for your insight into my motivations, My Lord.”

M pointed at herself. “Not just a pretty face.”

Quinn smiled. “No, My Lord.”

“So can you move on from this now, Malavai?”

He sobered and placed his hands flat on the table. “There is one last weakness to confess, My Lord, and I will be finished. You see I was expecting injury to my body or my pride today. But not…” he swallowed deeply and paused, looking down at his hands. “…not this invasion of my mind.”

“Ah.” She squeezed his arm. 

“I am dismayed by this experience. I cannot put into words how obscenely invasive it was…” he hesitated and looked up at her. 

M nodded. “I know, I’m so sorry. It’s terrible. The violation you feel when someone else’s thoughts are in your mind. I don’t think there is anything worse.”

“It is a uniquely unpleasant feeling.” He fell silent and studied his drink again.

She patted his arm reassuringly. “Do you remember that throughout much of the ordeal I was hugging you? Do you know why?”

Quinn shook his head, frowning, still looking down. “You seemed very aroused.”

M smiled grimly. “Yes, well, I’m always aroused around you, Malavai. But that wasn’t the only reason. First, I’m not particularly good at mind control, so direct contact helped me focus. Second, I did feel guilty about the whole trick, and I wanted to hold you. But most importantly, I wanted to be as close as possible so I could feel what Jaesa was doing to you. I could feel the suggestions she was giving you.” 

She squeezed his arm again, “It was a repulsive, intrusive feeling. The Jedi wave their supposedly high morals over the Sith, but the Jedi mind trick is the deepest, most foul, most ugly power that a Force user has.”

Quinn’s lower lip twitched and he looked away. She followed his gaze to a sinuous barely-clothed Twi’lek dancer lounging by the bar. She suddenly felt unaccountably jealous of the dancer and then infuriated about the entire situation. It enraged her that her stoic husband had been needlessly bearing such a burden of guilt all of this time. This was all Baras’s fault. If she could do it again, she would kill Baras more slowly, and more painfully. She sighed and studied the dancer. “Do you want me to buy you a dance, Quinn?”

“What?” Quinn looked back at her. His eyes were wet with unshed tears.

“The pretty green Twi’lek girl you were looking at.”

“Green Twi’lek girl?” Quinn turned again to look at the dancer and then back at M, frowning indignantly. “Absolutely not!”

“All right then.”

“Did you think I wanted her?”

“Possibly?”

Quinn pushed back from his chair suddenly and kneeled in front of M. He grasped her hands and said, “I may have misrepresented my motivations on Balmorra, but I make this pledge to you now, My Lord. I pledge to you my life, my soul, and my fidelity.” He stood and took her shoulders in his hands. He leaned in and whispered fiercely, “I shall never want or desire any woman other than you. No woman can match your power or your ferocious beauty. You are everything to me, My Lord… my WIFE.” He pulled back slightly, searched her eyes, and then his lips captured her own. M slid her hands up to his face and kissed him back, feeling his emotions, drawn in by his misery and repentance. She could feel his shame and his attempts to control his distress were barely holding. Poor Malavai. He always looked so serious and proper, but she could feel the torrents of emotion he held just beneath the surface. When they kissed or made love all of his pent-up passions poured into her. Like they were doing now. It was why the others in their crew would never understand why she loved him so intensely. Because they didn’t really know him. 

When their lips finally parted M stood up and held Quinn tightly. She whispered hoarsely, “Are you going to be all right, Malavai?”

He nodded. “If you teach me.”

“Teach you what, my darling?”

“To resist it. Teach me. Now. Right now. So I can feel stability again.”

M pulled back, searched his eyes and then slipped her hand into his. “Come on.”


	4. Quinn's Wife Trusts Him, and He Gets a Lesson, the Easy Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn's Wife Proves Her Devotion and Begins His Education. (sex)

M took Quinn’s hand and led him out of the bar and onto the main promenade of Kaas City. It was dusk, and despite the spartan nature of the permacrete walkways and the red and black Sith statues looming overhead, the air was moist and filled with the scent of the jungle. They walked hand-in-hand to the marketplace, still alive with patrons and vendors. M led Quinn to a produce vendor, an older red-skinned Twi’lek male with twinkling eyes. He greeted them with a bow.

“My Lord. Sir. How may I serve you today?” 

M turned to Quinn, “Well? Pick out something you don’t like.”

Quinn and the vendor looked at her, bemused. The vendor picked up a fat red bulb. “This stewfruit is excellent this time of year. This one is straight from the Imperial greenhouses to the north.”

Quinn took it from the vendor and sniffed it. “While I’m sure Imperial-grown produce is of the highest quality, I’m not particularly partial to this variety.” He started to hand it back to the vendor but M stopped him.

“You said I should have tried to get you to eat something you didn’t like. That it would have been a better idea.”

Quinn looked at the fruit and nodded. “Ah. My Lord, I now understand your intent.” He nodded to the vendor and then chose several items. 

M picked out some sweetberries for herself, paid the vendor and grabbed Quinn’s left hand. He took the small sack of fruit with his other hand and they walked slowly and silently through the market and back toward the spaceport. When they walked past the taxi hub Quinn finally spoke.

“Are we not going back to the ship?”

“I thought we should walk. It isn’t far. You’re too tense for me to be able to teach you anything now. You need to relax, my darling.”

Quinn frowned and nodded. “As you say, My Lord. I’ll try to relax.” His shoulders tightened.

M smiled. She let go of his left hand and slid her arm around his waist. She pulled his left arm around her shoulder and leaned her head against him. She whispered, “Malavai, I feel so happy here with you.” She began to hum a Twi’lek song she’d learned from Vette.

They walked slowly along the packed dirt road, past the high, lush trees and the green jungle grasses swaying in the twilight. A few times they heard the calls of a yozusk, but they didn’t see any of the wildlife other than insects. 

It took time, but Quinn began to relax. By the time they’d ambled to the spaceport, he was even swinging the bag of fruit casually with his right hand. A bit, which for Quinn was a lot. But when they got to the steps leading to the spaceport, he pulled away and straightened his uniform. “It wouldn’t do for you to be displaying affection to me in there, My Lord.”

M suppressed a grin and tried to nod seriously. “Of course. But maybe we could dissuade all these flirty young officers if you carried me around in your arms. I’d be happy to wear a sign saying, “Malavai Quinn’s Wife. Hands Off.”

“I wouldn’t dream of such a thing! Carry around the Emperor’s Wrath like a piece of property!” He tried to look scandalized, but she could tell he was pleased by the offer.

M looked at him thoughtfully and asked, “Does it shame you to be seen holding my hand? Do you worry that other people see you as my prize, my slave or even my pet?”

Quinn paused thoughtfully. “I believe that anyone of importance knows that you consented to marry me. I take great pride in the fact that we are husband and wife. So no, I do not feel shamed. I was thinking of your reputation, My Lord.” He fell into his military stance and looked forward towards the spaceport. “I thought perhaps, My Lord, that you enjoyed the attentions of the young men too inexperienced to know better than to approach you.”

M grinned. “Why would I? I have you; I don’t need fawning suitors. I’ll hold your hand to dissuade them from disturbing us.” She took his hand and turned him to face her. “You are my man, Malavai, and no one should presume to take your place.”

“But-“

“In fact, I’m going to make you a bracelet with my name on it, so girls stay away from you as well.”

“But-“

M grabbed his hand and walked briskly into the spaceport, pulling him along beside her. No one bothered them as they worked their way toward their hangar. 

When they finally boarded their ship they found to their relief that they were still alone. M drew Quinn to their quarters and only then released his hand. She peeled off her armor. “I’m going for a quick shower. Change into something comfortable and I’ll meet you in the exercise room. Bring whichever fruit you bought that you hate the least.”

Quinn nodded and unfastened his jacket. M knew he was still upset, and wouldn’t accept, but she still asked in a sultry voice, “If you want to join me in the shower, you’re welcome to.”

He blushed and shook his head. “You honor me, My Lord. But I prefer to have a lesson first. Then I promise to devote my full attention to pleasuring you.”

M smiled. “I’ll hold you to that promise.” She blew him a kiss and walked out to the crew showers.

* * * 

M stepped into the exercise room and kicked off her slippers. Her toes curled into the mat on the floor, which was soft, recently repaired and pristine. She’d have to remember to thank 2V-R8 for his work when she next saw him. Even a little compliment improved his output immensely, and she was sick of his continual whinging. 

She had changed into a knee-length sleeping gown as it was the least intimidating thing she could think to wear. She wore nothing else, although she had Malavai’s sheathed vibroknife in her hand. 

Quinn was kneeling in the center of the room wearing a soft black tunic and exercise leggings. He had a shiny yellow fernapple on a small plate on the floor in front of him. He was meditating, but when he heard her soft step he opened his eyes. They widened at the sight of his blade. 

M smiled and held it out to him hilt first. “I thought maybe you would feel better if you were armed.”

Quinn reached out to take the weapon. He looked at it thoughtfully and placed it on the floor beside him. “That is very kind, thank you.”

M kneeled down to face him. “Malavai, you were honest with me before, and I appreciate that more than I can say. Perhaps we should lay all our cards on the table.”

Quinn nodded. “I am willing.”

“Do you trust me?”

“Of course.”

“No, don’t answer so quickly. I’m asking honestly, do you trust me? In your heart? Unconditionally? Search your feelings before you answer. I am Sith. You would be wise to distrust me.”

Quinn took a moment to ponder the question. “Then I must say ‘No’. I did trust you implicitly before, in most matters, but after this afternoon… now I do doubt you… or rather, I do fear you a bit more. Only a small amount. Perhaps that is how it should be.”

M shook her head. “No, there should be no fear or doubt between us. Let the others fear me, but I’ll earn your trust back. It may take time, but I promise I’ll do it.”

Quinn nodded.

“But I also want you to know that I trust you unconditionally, Malavai Quinn. I used to think that you loved the Empire more than you loved me, and that you would strike me down without hesitation if it were your patriotic duty.”

Quinn swallowed hard. “I would like to think that I would.”

“But you wouldn’t.”

“No, I’m ashamed to say that I wouldn’t, even if the Emperor commanded me directly. I would likely be forced to take my own life to avoid the task. However I would insist on an explanation for your treasonous behavior before I ended my existence.”

M grabbed his shoulder angrily. “Don’t you dare take your own life! If someone tells you I’m a traitor, you come and tell me and make me change my ways. Or we’ll just leave. We’ll go hide and never bother the Empire again. Or…” she shook him, “or kill me. Take our children and hide. But you are not expendable!”

He frowned, “I am clearly expendable to the Empire, as are all who serve the Sith.”

“Not to me! I’m serious, Malavai, I forbid you to take your life. Do you hear me?! I refuse to live without you.”

“It is preposterous for you to suggest that-“

M gripped him hard and her eyes flashed red. She whispered, “If you die, then I will die. To take your life is to take mine as well. Do you understand?”

Quinn searched her eyes. “I understand, My Lord.”

She looked at him severely and let go of his shoulder. She took a long deep breath to calm herself. 

Finally she continued with her previous thoughts, “Let me ask you this: what do you think of my work with Jaesa? That I took a Jedi on as an apprentice? What of my interest in the Revanites? Or of my use of light-side powers? Surely you must feel my attitudes are not that of a true Sith.”

“I know your loyalty to the Emperor is unquestionable, and you are His Wrath. Your avoidance of unnecessary violence and well-judged applications of mercy and kindness have never been contrary to the honor or service of the Empire and in my opinion make you a superior leader. Regarding the Jedi, I hold that knowledge is power, and so there can be no harm in discovering the abilities of the enemy. And Willsaam has a logical approach that I find useful.”

M paused and searched Quinn’s face. “You know that it is because of you that I have mercy and restraint. I don’t deny that Vette and Jaesa have opened my eyes to the usefulness of empathy or compassion. But it is you, Malavai. You are my inspiration.”

Quinn paused and said, “I find myself at a loss for words. I don’t understand.”

M smiled and caressed his cheek. “Before, I stoked my passion for violence, for hatred and for anger. Of course these are still potent sources of power for me, but because of you I find more strength from love and lust and… well, even jealousy.”

Quinn frowned. “I must reiterate that I have no interest in any other woman, My Lord.”

M smiled broadly and brushed her lips across his. The kiss became more passionate and she pushed her fingers into his hair as he broke from the kiss to lick and bite at her neck. M whispered, “You must know that I trust you. Completely.”

Quinn drew back slightly and swallowed deeply. He shook his head. “You are too valuable to ever trust anyone completely, My Lord. Not even me.”

M startled him by shouting, “For the love of-!” She grabbed Quinn’s shoulders, pushed him back on the mat and rolled them both over so he was lying atop her. 

He pushed himself up on one elbow to relieve his weight from her body. “My Lord?”

“Kiss me, Quinn.”

He obliged, taking his time to kiss her properly. While he was occupied with her lips, M reached out with her mind and called for Quinn’s knife. It flew from its sheath to her hand with an audible slap. Quinn heard the sound and pulled back abruptly. “What are you doing?”

M put the knife in his hand and then drew his hand closer until the blade lay against her throat. He tried to pull away but she held his hand fast. The movement drew a thin line of blood where the edge touched her skin and he hissed with distress. 

She stared up at him and whispered, “I trust you, Malavai. I trust you unconditionally. You and no one else. No one else.”

Quinn, now even more alarmed, shook his head. “This blade is incredibly powerful, Wife. If I should drop it you will be terribly injured.”

“Yes, I’d be dead in a moment.” She gazed into his blue eyes marking his dilated pupils, his horrified expression. “But I don’t think you’d kill me. You wouldn’t hurt me. You didn’t before. But I’m giving you a chance now. If you are still working against me, if you have some hidden agenda, or if you just want to leave, I’m giving you the chance to kill me right now. You could say it was an accident while we were sparring. I just gave the whole spaceport a demonstration of our affection; no one would doubt your grief. Better yet, you’d have the ship to yourself; you could get away and no one would be able to stop you. No one would even know I was dead right away. You could dump me and the ship in a star somewhere.”

Quinn was aghast. “I would never-“

“I trust you, Malavai. I trust your judgment. I trust your loyalty to the Empire. I trust that you will take care of Vette and Jaesa for me if I die. I trust that you will give your life for our future children. Malavai, if you feel my death would be for the greater good, do it. Take my life.” She took her hand away and left the blade at her neck. She spread both her arms out to her sides and watched him.

Quinn gazed hard at her for a long moment and then pulled the knife away from her throat. He threw the blade to the side and kissed her urgently. She didn’t move to stop him as he fumbled with his leggings and pulled up the hem of her gown. He was inside her in a moment and thrusting more passionately than he ever had before. She threw her arms around his back and lifted her hips against him, meeting his thrusts and shouting with pleasure, digging at his back with her nails. He broke from the kiss and slammed against her, deep and hard, grunting and panting, his neck against her face. She kissed and licked and bit his muscled shoulder and jaw and it was only a short time before he groaned and came, crushing her beneath him as he was overcome by his orgasm. When it passed he pressed his lips to her temple and murmured, “I love you.”

M smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. “I love you as well.”

Quinn didn’t speak for a moment, catching his breath, and then said, “I apologize for so brief a coupling. I was overcome with emotion, I’m afraid. I can make a second attempt in a few moments.” He didn’t move, and she relished the feeling of him still inside her.

M suppressed a laugh and said, “I’m flattered that I tempt you to such uncontrollable passion.”

He whispered gently, “I would never harm you.”

M smiled. “I know. I trust you. Even after the transponder station, do you see?”

“I suppose I do.” He gazed at her for a long time, stroking her cheek with his thumb. Finally he chuckled self-consciously, “Shall I have another go?”

“Yes please, my darling, but not immediately if you can wait. We were going to do some training?”

“Yes we were.” 

“We should do so before we wear ourselves out.”

“I suppose you’ll want another shower.”

“I do love the water.”

Quinn kissed her again, taking his time. He then reluctantly rolled off of her and this time they both went to the spacious crew showers together. 

* * *

They were sitting in their bed in fresh bedclothes, M sitting in her husband’s arms, her back against his chest, very content. She was holding the fernapple in her hand. “All right, Malavai, are you ready?”

“Yes.” He clasped his hands around her waist and laced his fingers together.

“I’ll say it first without any power behind the words, in my normal voice. Pay attention to your feelings and emotions.”

“I’m ready.”

“You want to take the apple. You want to take a bite.” She paused. “Ready?”

“Ready.”

She paused and thought a moment. Right now she felt so content and happy it was difficult to draw her more powerful, violent dark side power. She decided to focus her love and lust, and said in her Voice, with only a touch of power, “You want to take the apple. You want to take a bite.”

Malavai gasped quietly and immediately unclasped his hands and reached for the apple. He stopped himself short of touching it. “Ah. I see.”

“Tell me what you feel.”

“It is a disconcerting feeling, My Lord. I suddenly feel that I must take the fruit or suffer some injury or loss. A feeling of anxiety, more than anything else.”

She nodded. “Dark side persuasion is based on fear, anxiety, and anger. Concentrate on the feeling, concentrate on how it is different than your own anxieties or fears.”

He took a deep breath. “Yes, My Lord. Yes, I am ready to try again.”

She gave the force-powered suggestion several dozen times, each time putting a bit more power in, making the compulsion stronger. To his credit, Quinn resisted biting the fernapple, although he took it in his hand twice before stopping himself. 

Finally he took a deep breath and said, “You’re holding back, aren’t you?”

“Of course. I have to increase the power slowly in order for you to get used to the sensation.”

“Use your full power. I want to experience that again.”

M frowned, “Are you insisting?”

“I won’t die if I take a bite.”

She held the fruit up in her hand where he could see, and leaned back against him to help her focus her will. She gathered her rage over Quinn’s recent anxieties and projected it at Quinn. “You want to take the apple. You want to take a bite.”

Quinn gasped and grabbed the fernapple out of her hand. He clutched at her waist with his free hand and she felt him tense every muscle in his body as he resisted the urge to put the fruit to his lips. He choked out, “I… want to … take a bite…”

“I know.”

His outstretched arm trembled violently. She grabbed it and held it fast. She said in her own voice, “Listen to me. The fear you feel isn’t real. If you don’t bite it nothing bad will happen. You’re safe here, with me. The fear isn’t real.”

After a long minute or so, his arm stopped shaking and he dropped the fruit onto the bed beside them. He buried his face against the back of her neck and murmured, “That is very unpleasant.”

“That’s why I thought I should build up slowly.”

“You were correct, of course, although I do feel the danger more acutely now.”

“I’m sorry to put you through this.”

“No, it’s necessary. I apologize for having refused to try before, My Lord.”

“Maybe we can stop for tonight?”

Quinn nodded. “It might be best, especially given our appointment with the Dark Council tomorrow. Perhaps we can try again in the morning. In the meantime, we should get our sleep.” He hugged her. “Unless…?”

“To be honest, I was hoping to not go to sleep right away.”

Quinn chuckled. “You are insatiable, My Lord.”

“Only when I’m with you, Malavai. Only with you.”


	5. Quinn escorts his wife to and from the Dark Council

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Emperor's Wrath and her Captain have an audience with the Dark Council and an old friend sends a message.

The next day M and Quinn kept their appointment with the Dark Council. M stood at the center of the Council chambers, Quinn stood slightly behind her and to her side. M insisted on his presence at all meetings; she found his keen analysis of such sessions to be extremely valuable. She had just finished her progress report when Darth Ravage cleared his throat. “Wrath, we have a further question to put to you.”

She nodded, “Of course, My Lord.”

“We understand that you currently have one apprentice and that she is a white Jedi.”

“I would consider her a grey Jedi at the least, My Lord. And she is facile with dark Force energy when necessary.”

Ravage paused and smiled, “In my experience, a Jedi that does not recognize the inherent utility of pure dark power is never going to reach her potential. It’s really kinder to put such poor deluded souls down, isn’t it?”

Darth Vowrawn hastened to intervene, “My experience with this particular Jedi has been quite positive. She risked her own life to protect mine, as did Lord Wrath's excellent first officer.” He motioned to Quinn, who bowed at the acknowledgement. “However, Wrath, I believe Ravage is referring to a report the Council received that she may have met with a local subversive cult.”

M calmed herself and asked nonchalantly, “A cult, My Lord? That seems unlikely. I keep her very busy.”

Darth Marr sighed, obviously bored. “There is a ‘Cult of Revan’ that attracts followers who are interested in combining the way of the Sith and the Jedi, which of course is preposterous.”

M raised a brow. “I see. And you believe this cult represents a danger to the Empire? Some new form of power?”

Darth Vowrawn waved his hand dismissively, “Power? Of course not. One cannot follow both dark and light teachings and channel useful power. No, our concern is that this cult is rooted in the Republic and was founded here to persuade Sith acolytes or apprentices to defect.”

M nodded thoughtfully. “You are concerned that my apprentice is a Republic spy?”

Vowrawn leaned forward, “Do you have reason to doubt her?”

“No, My Lord. No reason whatsoever.”

“Excellent. If she remains true, find out what she has learned. Then perhaps use her to infiltrate this cult. Determine if it’s a threat to the Empire. If it’s not a threat, determine its size and whether it can be turned to the Empire’s advantage. It is a matter of debate among the Council, but I feel that further knowledge of Jedi practices and beliefs could be of use.”

M nodded. “I’ve filed several reports concerning the Jedi practices I’ve learned from my apprentice.”

Vowrawn nodded, “I’ve read those reports and they are what are staying our hand now. Previously Imperial policy has been to interrogate and kill anyone found collaborating with this cult.”

Darth Ravage leaned forward. “If you ever find your apprentice the least unwilling to share her knowledge you may use our Council interrogation facilities to encourage her compliance.”

M tamped down her annoyance. “The offer is very generous, My Lord.”

“And you do remember that the cult is officially illegal? The official stance is that all cult members are questioned and executed.”

“Yes.”

Ravage leaned back in his chair and smiled. “That is interesting, because I have learned that you spent some time with the Revanites yourself when you first came to Dromund Kaas as Darth Baras’s apprentice.”

Marr sat up eagerly, “Oh now that is interesting.”

M remained nonchalant. “And where was this?” Behind her she felt Malavai remain completely calm. She could always depend on him to control his emotions in the Dark Council chambers.

Ravage waggled his finger at her, “Oh surely you remember, south west of the city. They were living in caves?”

M answered, “Ah, yes. I was tasked by a high-level Sith called… Sandor…? I believe that was his name, and the mission was to infiltrate a group living in the jungle that had some odd ideas about the Force. There were a few Force users among them, but the rest were mercenaries, as I recall.”

“So you did not join their cult.”

M grimaced. “I went through the motions of their initiation in order to discover the identity of their leader but once my task was accomplished I left. To be honest, I’m surprised the group is still viable. Sandor indicated he was going to deal with the leader.”

Vowrawn asked, “Do you remember whether there were any signs of a Republic presence in the camp?”

M considered the question but finally answered, “My recollection was that the group was a motley band of misfits and outsiders. They seemed to have no direct purpose other than researching the history of some ancient Sith man, and remaining hidden. I don’t recall any of them ever mentioning anything particularly political. But my time with them was very brief, and I was focused on my own objective.”

Vowrawn added, “I can hardly believe the Emperor would choose a cultist to be His Wrath.”

Ravage narrowed his eyes at M. “Indeed. Well, we can easily check your story.”

M raised a brow at him. “Of course.”

“In the meantime, if you find these Revanites are a threat, destroy them.” Ravage leaned back and folded his arms. “In my opinion, hunting them down and killing them is the more expedient solution. Starting with your Jedi.”

Vowrawn waved his hand. “Yes, yes, of course, any threat to the Empire must be neutralized.”

M bowed her head to Vowrawn. “As you command, My Lord.”

Marr sighed loudly. “We are finished here for now.”

Vowrawn smiled, “Yes, thank you for your time, Wrath. And do send my regards to your excellent crew.”

M bowed again. “Of course, My Lord. Long live the Empire.” She turned on her heel and briskly left the chamber. Quinn bowed as well and hastened to follow her. They didn’t speak as they walked through the city.

When they left the taxi and walked up the spaceport steps, Quinn grasped M’s hand and squeezed it. She glanced back discreetly and saw a man dressed in a plain black combat suit following them. She squeezed Quinn’s hand and they walked through the spaceport quickly. Just outside the entrance to her ship’s hangar bay she said, “Here,” and threw Quinn against the wall. He yelped in surprise but she pressed her body to his and began kissing him passionately. She pressed her lips to his ear and breathed, “A spy?” 

Quinn caught on immediately and grabbed her right thigh, pulling it against him. She ground her hips against him and he made several uncharacteristically loud noises of appreciation. She thought it was really rather sexy. She’d have to try to make him yell more often when she had the chance. 

He ran his teeth along her neck and whispered, “Possibly.” He kissed and bit at her jaw.

She felt the fire of the dark side building in the pit of her belly and ran her tongue along the side of his face, pushed her fingers through his hair and murmured, “Assassin?”

“Likely.” He squeezed her left breast and thrust against her.

“Still coming?” She grabbed his left thigh, her hand now only inches from her saber.

“Slowly.” He grabbed her backside and pulled her against him, ready to draw his own weapon.

“Say when.” 

They continued their frantic kissing and grinding until Quinn said sharply, “Now!”

M whirled, drawing her saber and leapt over the man, now only a few yards away. Once behind him she grabbed him around the neck with her forearm and held the glowing blade millimeters from his face. Quinn had his pistol drawn, aimed right at the trespasser’s chest, and was before them in a moment. Quinn demanded, “What do you want? Speak at once or die.”

Their tail turned out to be a pale, well-built, ginger young man. He froze the moment they attacked which made M pause; that wasn’t the action of an assassin. He said, “I… My Lord… I just wanted to speak with you. I’m sorry if I interrupted your… ah…” He motioned to Quinn and then at M. “I’m sorry to have alarmed you, My Lord. You certainly scared off the hangar work crew.”

He was right, of course. Whenever a light saber was activated in an Imperial city, it always meant someone was about to die. So, the sound tended to cause people to scatter. Which they evidently had done.

Quinn narrowed his eyes. “Who are you?”

“I’m Ensign Met Selven.” He produced an Imperial ident chip.

M felt some deception in the man but deactivated her blade. He didn’t feel hostile. She kept her arm around his neck and shook her head at Quinn; He kept his pistol aimed at the man’s face. “Are you here to assassinate the Emperor’s Wrath?”

Selven looked horrified. “What? Of course not, no!”

Quinn took the man’s I.D. and examined it briefly. He poked the man with his pistol. “Then what do you want?”

Selven stammered. “I saw you in Kaas City and I wanted to meet Lord Wrath. I have been following your adventures and I am a big fan. May I have your autograph? If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, My Lord?” He held up his datapad for M to see. In the center of the pad was the name “Torrun” as well as a time later that afternoon and coordinates. 

M let go of the man and nodded to Quinn, who holstered his weapon. She stepped back and Selven turned towards her and bowed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

M smiled and glanced at Quinn, who rolled his eyes. “Of course.” She took Selven’s data pad and made her mark and handed it back to him. “In the future, send a formal request for a meeting; we almost killed you.”

He nodded put the pad on his clip. “Yes, I will. I’m sorry. Thank you so much!” He bowed again nervously.

She nodded, “It’s nice to have a fan.”

Selven smiled, “Well, I’ll let you get back to… uh…” he looked at Quinn and his smile faded.

Quinn glowered at him murderously. “Indeed.” 

Selven bowed again and walked away quickly.

M looked around and shrugged. “What can I say? I have many admirers. But let’s get back to the ship and shag.”

Quinn blushed, “My Lord!”

M grabbed his hand and led him quickly to the ship. Once they were onboard she called over 2V-R8 to the conference room and had him sweep the ship and the two of them for listening devices. When he gave the all clear she let out the breath she’d been holding and sank into a chair.

Quinn raised a brow. “I expect he wasn’t an admirer.”

“How did you know?” 

“Because you were far nicer to him than you usually are.”

“I almost killed him.”

“As I said.”

M shook her head and smiled at Quinn. “He was a Revanite. One of the Revanite leaders wishes to meet.”

Quinn frowned. “That seems an unlikely coincidence. It could be a trap.”

“Or they might have a mole within the Dark Council entourage.” M chewed her lip. “I’ll need to take Jaesa with me for this meeting. She’ll be able to tell what their motivations are.”

Quinn nodded, “A wise decision. Surely you will allow me to accompany you as well.” He turned to 2V-R8 and dismissed him.

"I want you here as backup.”

Quinn shook his head. “You are too trusting of these Revanites.” 

M took his hand and said gently, “If it’s a trap we three won't be enough anyway. Anyone with a grain of intelligence wanting to capture or kill me will bring overwhelming force. Not, say, two dodgy battle droids.”

Quinn grimaced. “Let us not speak of the transponder station ever again, My Lord. Ever. Again.” 

M laughed. “Fair enough. Regardless, the Revanites won’t meet me with my favorite Imperial officer present." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Everyone knows what a stickler for rules you are, my darling.”

"I must protest, My Lord. You are far more effective with me beside you. I could go in disguise."

She brushed her hands over his shoulders affectionately. “My instincts are telling me it would be better for you to stay here. My instincts are usually pretty good.”

He scowled at her and she smiled. "This will be a quick meeting, my darling. Don't worry." She cocked her head at him and said, “Malavai Quinn, I order you not to worry.” She grinned and pulled out her comm and signaled to her apprentice to return to the ship.

Quinn sank into a chair opposite hers, defeated. "As you command, My Lord."

After replacing her comm, M stood and sauntered over to Quinn and sat in his lap. 

“My Lord, outside the hangar you said you wished to sha-… em… make love?”

M drew back and smiled at him. “I always do, although what I said outside was partially for the benefit of eavesdroppers.” 

“Ah, I’d considered that your unusually crude speech was a strategic ruse.”

“I said it was only partially for eavesdroppers.” She was still excited by their play-acting in the hangar and brushed her lips against his. He grabbed her forcefully and crushed his lips against hers, rekindling the lust she’d felt outside. She let her hand travel down his stomach and tried to unfasten his trousers but he gripped her hand. “Your apprentice will return at any moment.”

She drew back reluctantly and let out a long breath, letting her gaze travel over his face. He was flushed as well. “So ends our vacation from the crew.”

Quinn touched his forehead to hers. “We’ll still have our evenings together. Are you sure you do not want to take me with you tonight?”

“Yes, I’m sure.” She paused to listen; Quinn was right, Jaesa was nearby. “Ah well. Here she is.”

Quinn swallowed deeply and she felt his mood switch abruptly from lust to anxiety. “My Lord, I’m not sure I’m emotionally prepared to see her again so soon.”

M kissed his cheek. “Try to remember she didn’t want to hurt you. Don’t be too angry."

Quinn sniffed, “Of course, My Lord. My emotions do not rule my actions with respect to the crew.”

M reluctantly stood up and turned as Jaesa entered the conference room. She stopped short when she saw Quinn and looked at M with concern. Quinn stood and fell into his military resting posture. The three of them looked at each other for a long and awkward silence. 

Quinn coughed politely. “Jaesa Willsaam, I’ve been updated as to your role in the unpleasant events of yesterday afternoon, and I wish you to know that I do not hold you personally responsible. In fact, I commend your execution of orders despite your personal reservations concerning the matter.”

M smiled at Quinn with approval. He was, as always, civil and appropriate despite his feelings. Now she really wanted to shag him.

Jaesa bowed to Quinn, “Thank you, Captain, but I feel like I still owe you a sincere apology for the pain you endured. I’d be honored if you’d let me make amends.”

Quinn glanced at M and then back at Jaesa. “You can make amends by training me to withstand such an attack in the future. I have already begun taking instruction from Lord Wrath.”

Jaesa let out a sigh of relief and smiled, “I’m so happy to hear that, Captain. Of course I’ll help, however you like.” 

Quinn nodded, “Excellent. But another matter has come up in the interim.”


	6. Quinn's wife is overdue and he calls for help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn's wife is overdue and he calls for help.

Quinn sat at the desk console in his wife’s quarters and frowned at the readout on his datapad. He checked the time again. By now M and Jaesa should have met with the Revanite. Every moment that passed now was agony; he still didn’t trust the Jedi and he knew that M fought most successfully when he was with her. He watched her back and healed her injuries as fast as she acquired them. His wife wasn’t as safe with anyone as she was with him. He checked the time again, and chastised himself. Surely his work should keep his mind occupied.

His comm signaled but it wasn’t M. It was a coded message from his contact in Imperial Intelligence. Quinn was convinced there was a spy within the crew or at the very least the ship or crew were under surveillance; there had been too many coincidences of late between their activities and the actions of the Dark Council. His agent friend confirmed that the Council was tracking their movements but didn’t know the means. 

Quinn frowned and pulled up the crew’s accounts. Perhaps there was another traitor in the crew. He stopped and reminded himself not to consider himself a traitor any longer in accordance with his wife’s wishes. 

Regardless, there weren’t any cases of unusual spending or lack thereof among the crew, so bribery seemed unlikely. Even among Lieutenant Pierce’s records there wasn’t anything unexpected. Quinn noticed that over the last two days Pierce had run up a sizable tab at the cantinas in Kaas City; evidently he had been catching up on old times with some of his black ops colleagues from the assault on Bastion. He was obviously drunk when he’d recorded some of the transactions; Pierce was despicable, but he usually could spell. 

Quinn shook his head. He understood Pierce’s value as a fearless, physically imposing and impossibly tough soldier, and when Pierce’s black ops team was reunited, it had been a formidable task force. But Pierce made it known on a regular basis that he didn’t care for regulations or chain-of-command, and that if he thought M wasn’t doing the right thing he’d go rogue. He also made a point of flirting in a vulgar manner with Quinn’s wife and continually suggesting they had been lovers just to annoy Quinn, which it did. Quinn thought it was likely the two had slept together, but hoped it was before he and M were married. He realized it was a pointless exercise to obsess about it, but the possibility of M’s infidelity preyed on his mind.

Quinn checked the time again and tried to focus on his datapad but quickly found his eyes straying toward the bed, imagining M and himself in the throes of passion atop it. Himself and not Lieutenant Pierce. He sighed and put the datapad aside. He considered visiting the exercise room when his commlink signaled again. It was M, but audio only. That was odd. He opened the channel. “This is Quinn.”

“Malavai, sweetheart, is that you?”

Quinn’s gut tightened. M never called him Malavai except in person and even then usually only onboard or in private. Never over an open channel. And “sweetheart” was their codeword for trouble. Something was terribly, terribly wrong. 

“Yes, darling, it’s me. What is your status?”

“Malavai, we won’t be coming back to the ship tonight. Are you there on the Fury?”

Quinn wondered whether she wanted to know his position, or whether it was of interest to someone holding her captive. But he answered, "Yes, I'll be here all night. Do you need me to send you an overnight kit?”

There was a long pause. “No thank you, we’ll be fine.”

“When shall I expect you back, darling? I can extend shore leave for the crew if it will be a prolonged period.”

Another long pause. “I don’t know yet.”

“Keep me informed. Be safe, my love.”

“Good-bye.” The transmission ended. She was definitely in trouble. But if she and the Jedi were in trouble, Quinn would need help to rescue them. Given the Emperor’s Wrath’s status, he should have been able to mobilize a Kaas City regiment on a moment’s notice. But with all the Sith infighting, there was no way to know who to trust. Quinn knew for certain that if M were to be killed or captured by a rival that Quinn and his entire team would be targeted next.

Quinn thought for a moment, and sent a message to his friend in Intelligence. Then he checked the time, and signaled Pierce.

Pierce’s hologram popped up on Quinn’s comm. He looked drunk. “Captain Quinn. What brings your ugly mug to my evening?”

Quinn gritted his teeth. “Lieutenant Pierce, may I remind you that there are concerns about the security of our comm systems; you risk your own career with your flagrant disrespect.”

Pierce paused and digested Quinn’s words. “I guess you’ve got me there, Captain. What d’you want?” Quinn nodded, relieved that Pierce had understood his meaning. Now he just had to hope Pierce wasn’t too drunk to remember the code the team had devised.

He said, “It appears that Vette’s Nekarr cat is delivering her kittens. Despite my medical training, I find myself uneasy with… animals. I was hoping for your help.”

Pierce glanced around and then grinned. “I understand, Captain. You don’t want to be alone with the newborn kittens. Scary!”

Quinn heard laughing in the background. “Lord Wrath specifically charged me with taking care of this animal and she is currently unavailable.”

Pierce sobered and sat up a bit straighter. “Ah, you don’t want to get in trouble with the missus. I don’t suppose I should move the party to the ship?”

Quinn paused. Although Pierce’s black ops team would be a valuable asset, he didn’t know how drunk or how large Pierce’s party had become.

“I leave that to your discretion, Lieutenant. However, I feel that every moment is precious.”

“I’ll be there shortly.”

“Thank you.” Quinn signed off and stood. He calmed himself and tried to focus. 

He thumbed his comm again, and this time a slim young Twi’lek female answered, rubbing her eyes sleepily. “Oh, hey Quinn. What’s up?”

“Good evening, Vette. I’m sorry to interrupt your visit with your sister.”

“It’s fine. She left a few hours ago; I was going to head back to you in the morning.”

“I’ve called to let you know your Nekarr cat appears to be delivering her kittens.”

Vette blinked for a moment and then said, “Oh!”

“I thought you might want to be here before the entire litter is delivered.”

“Yeah. Right, I really would.”

“Then I will await your arrival.”

“Do I have time to grab my stuff?”

“They seem to be birthing at a rapid pace.”

“Okay. Thanks for letting me know. I’ll be right there.”

He switched off. He sent another coded message to his intelligence contact, took off his officer’s jacket, pulled on his reinforced medic’s tactical vest and went to the armory to pack what he thought he would need.


	7. Quinn gathers resources for a rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn will need help to rescue his wife, but who can he trust?

The first to arrive was Vette, and with her she brought someone wearing a stained hooded cloak. When Quinn saw them approaching over the ship security monitor he was immediately apprehensive and met them at the ship entrance. As soon as they entered, the newcomer sank to the floor. Vette pulled back the stranger’s hood to reveal Jaesa, muddied, bloodied, battered and now unconscious.

Quinn called for 2V-R8 and knelt down, “What happened?”

“I found her in the jungle just outside the spaceport. She wasn’t making any sense.”

Quinn gathered Jaesa in his arms and carried her briskly to the medical bay. He laid her atop one of the two beds there and began stripping off her damaged armor and gear and handing it all to 2V-R8. “Did she say anything about Lord Wrath?”

Vette shook her head anxiously as she helped him remove Jaesa’s underarmor. She gasped. A finger-wide chunk of Jaesa’s left side and a slice of her left thigh were missing, both wounds cauterized, although the leg wound had reopened and was bleeding briskly. 

Quinn grunted. “Light saber wounds. Jaesa is almost as skilled with the light saber as Lord Wrath; this does not bode well.” He rolled Jaesa over and discovered several other bruises. Her right arm was broken as well. Vette gave a cry when she found one of M’s light sabers slipped into Jaesa’s cloak. Quinn paused and took the weapon from Jaesa, soberly turning it over in his hands. M would never willingly give up her favorite weapon. He handed the saber and the remainder of Jaesa’s cloak to 2V-R8. “Toovee, take the damaged armor to the incinerator. Scan Willsaam’s remaining gear and this lightsaber for surveillance devices. Then return as quickly as possible. We need to get Willsaam into the kolto tank immediately.” 2V-R8 scurried away. 

Quinn sprayed biofoam and bandaging onto the worst of Jaesa’s wounds and fitted a quick-seal splint over the injured arm, taking care to carefully straighten and fix the bones in place. 2V-R8 returned, babbling anxiously about the seriousness of the wounds and the condition of the world in general. Together, they fitted a facemask to Jaesa and loaded her into the tank.

Quinn calibrated the tank and watched the monitors silently as Vette stood behind him, twisting her hands together anxiously. The comm on the wall flashed red and Quinn said quietly, “Toovee, I believe Lieutenant Pierce has arrived. If he is with anyone please let me know before allowing them onboard.”

2V-R8 hurried away to follow his order.

Vette crept forward and splayed her hand onto the tank’s clear transparisteel wall as she watched Jaesa floating within the healing waters. “What d’you think happened, Quinn? Do you think M’s okay?”

Quinn worked his jaw and considered her question. “I don’t wish to make unfounded conjectures, but they were attacked by Force users at the very least.”

“Is Jaesa gonna be alright?”

Quinn nodded. “Fortunately she has not sustained a mortal injury.” He tapped controls on the tank panel. “However, knowing my wife… em… Lord Wrath, she may have sent her apprentice for help and that is how she came to be captured. I am also concerned that her apprentice has possession of her light saber. That is ominous.”

Vette swallowed heavily but patted him on the arm. “Don’t worry, Quinn, we’ll get her back.”

“I appreciate your optimism.”

“What’s goin’ on?!” Pierce barreled into the room and caught himself short with one hand on the doorframe. The room immediately filled with the smell of ale. He pointed at Jaesa and asked, “What the bloody hell happened to the Jedi?”

Vette looked at Pierce. “Somebody attacked Jaesa and M. Quinn thinks M got captured.”

Quinn pulled out his comm and noted a new coded message. He said without turning around, “I don’t think she’s been captured, I know she’s been captured. She spoke to me by an audio link and used our private code.”

Pierce growled, “Where the hell is she? Let’s go get her. I’ve got my boys on standby if we need extra bodies.”

Quinn took a final look at the tank readout and turned around to face Pierce. “Her captors did not allow her to tell me any details. I only know that she is captured and needs help.”

“Why would they allow her to call at all?”

“I don’t know. To stall for time? To draw us out to make us vulnerable? Or possibly to alert us in order to draw us all back to the ship? I’ve been monitoring the ship for sabotage and a friend is watching the spaceport for intruders.”

“Reasonable. Who took her?”

“She was contacted this afternoon by a messenger claiming to represent a Revanite cult here on Dromund Kaas. She and her apprentice went to the rendezvous three hours ago. That is all I know.”

Vette shook her head, “Revanites? Why would they of all people hurt her?”

Quinn glanced at Vette; he was surprised she’d heard of the cult and said so.

Pierce grunted, “I’ve heard of ‘em too. A bunch of real nutters, think Sith and Jedi should use each other’s powers and work together. It’s all bollocks if you ask me…” Pierce’s voice trailed off and he looked up at Jaesa. “Except… wait a minute…” He paused, confused.

Quinn sighed. He wondered if Pierce had only just now realized the implications of having a Jedi in their crew. The man was thick. “Yes, well, Lord Wrath and her apprentice have been experimenting with similar ideas; however, they have been reporting their findings to the Dark Council. My understanding is that the Revanite Cult is incredibly secretive. It seems unlikely they would mount a massive attack against a high profile Sith Lord within shouting distance of the capital city. 

Vette chirped up, “We met some Revanites here back when we first left Korriban. They seemed like nice people. Back then it was just the two of us…” She sniffled and rubbed at her eyes, “I hope M’s okay.”

Quinn raised a brow at Vette. Perhaps he should comfort her in some way? He found the idea distasteful. He turned back awkwardly to face Pierce with a grimace. 

Pierce looked at Vette and shook his head. “Keep it together, girl. We gotta figure this out.” Vette nodded. Pierce turned back to Quinn. “Let’s go find her. Vette here can watch over the Jedi. Gotta move before they take her off the planet.”

Quinn frowned. “As you can imagine, I am also extremely anxious about Lord Wrath’s situation. However, before we go running into what will most likely be a trap, I must share with you several facts: First, the ship or one of us is almost certainly bugged. I have scanned the ship and its contents several times over the last week and I have found five listening devices and cameras.”

Vette gasped. Quinn continued, “I also believe there may be a mole within the Dark Council entourage, but who that person would be working for I do not know. Regarding Lord Wrath, even if the kidnappers have a shuttle, they would need permission from the spaceport authority to depart the planet. I have a trustworthy contact in Kaas City administration who just informed me that flights off-planet have been put on hold and there is a discreet search ongoing to prevent Lord Wrath from being moved off-world.”

Pierce nodded, “Good work.”

Quinn raised a brow at the compliment. “Jaesa Willsaam’s injuries indicate at least two Sith or Jedi attacked her. This close to Kaas City I would hope there would not be a contingent of Jedi moving so freely. I assume, therefore, that these are Sith. Wrath and her apprentice are more than a match for three or even four Sith opponents. If they were to face more than that, I fear they might be defeated.”

Pierce let out a long whistle and pushed his fingers through his hair. “We’re a good team, but I don’t know if we’re a match for five Sith warriors.”

Quinn nodded. “I’ve also contacted Darth Vowrawn, who I believe is our only reliable ally on the Council.”

“Yeah, he’s a decent bloke. And I think he owes us one.”

“Indeed. One last item, of which I’m sure you’re already aware. If a rival Sith has decided to eliminate Lord Wrath, we are also targets.”

Pierce nodded, “Yeah and it makes sense to take her out first. After her, we’d be easy prey.” He scratched his neck. “Look, Tanido and Arlos are here in Kaas City. They’d be willing to help. Since I didn’t know the situation I didn’t bring ‘em with me, but they’re nearby.”

Quinn nodded. “Excellent. If you would take a sobriety stim and contact them, I would be most grateful. Now we only await word from Darth Vowrawn. I feel confident we will get a response, even if it is ‘no’.”

Vette hugged herself. “What are we supposed to do, just wait? M could be in trouble, real trouble. They’re probably torturing her right now.”

Quinn ground his teeth. “I am sorry to admit that I fervently hope they are torturing her.”

Pierce growled. “What the hell is your problem, Quinn?”

Quinn flushed angrily. “I hope they are torturing her, Lieutenant, because if they are not torturing her then she is already dead.”

Pierce punched the wall angrily in response and stalked out of the med bay. 

Vette hugged herself more tightly. “Quinn, I’ll let you know if anything happens with Jaesa. You’re smart. You go… figure out how to save M.”

Quinn nodded and left Vette watching the kolto tank. Pierce was pacing the holocomm room like a caged animal and Quinn saw him jab himself with a sobriety stim. “Alright, I’m gonna call my boys now. I’ve got other people I could bring in as well.” Pierce grimaced and rubbed his forehead; although sobriety stims cleared the user’s mind quickly, they inevitably caused an instant and painful headache. 

Quinn nodded. “Please call only those that you absolutely trust. Do it on your personal comm but assume it’s tapped.” 

Pierce nodded angrily, “Yeah, yeah, I got it.” He stalked off to the conference room.

2V-R8 scampered in from the cockpit. “Captain Quinn, there is a… comfort specialist… demanding to come into the hangar. She says she is called Belara and she is asking for Lieutenant Pierce.”

Quinn sighed and called out, “Lieutenant Pierce!”

Pierce leaned out of the conference room, his earpiece on. “What?!”

“There is a courtesan inquiring after you at the hangar door.”

Pierce grinned, “Keep yer pants on, Quinn, she’ll wait. I’m almost done.” He disappeared back into the conference room.

Quinn marched over to the conference room door. “Do you know this Belara?”

Pierce looked up, annoyed, “Yeah, yeah she was with me tonight. She’ll wait, leave it.”

Quinn pinched the bridge of his nose. His communicator beeped. Audio only, scrambled source. He keyed the transmitter. “Yes?”

A distorted voice said, “Seen two klicks northwest of the dark temple. Have sent backup.” The transmission ended.

Quinn’s heart leapt. He looked at Pierce, who had taken off his earpiece. “We have a location.”

“We still need more backup.”

“Evidently some is on the way.” Quinn swallowed deeply. “Would you dismiss the courtesan so we can pack up without interruption? Take care she is not a decoy for an ambush.”

Pierce rolled his eyes, “Yes sir. I’ll dismiss the courtesan.” He gave an exaggerated salute. Not so much a salute as a rude gesture, but he did push past Quinn and out the ship entrance. 

Quinn went back to the med center where Vette was sitting on the empty med bay bed, kicking her feet and watching Jaesa. When Quinn entered she jumped up. “Hey Quinn, I think I saw Jae move on her own. Do you think she is waking up?”

He checked the readings, “It’s possible, or it may be that-“

Pierce poked his head in the room again and interrupted, “Hey, Quinn, you need to meet somebody.”

“Who?”

“Come out.”

Quinn suddenly wished he had his pistol, or at least his knife on him. After his experience with mind control he was more jumpy than usual about everything Pierce did; well, about what everyone did. He nodded to Vette and followed Pierce out. 

In the hologram chamber a scantily clad green Twi’lek female was standing with her hands on her hips. Quinn was appalled Pierce had brought her onboard. Quinn looked her up and down; at least she wasn’t wearing enough to conceal a large weapon. “I’ve seen you before.”

“That’s right.”

“In the cantina. Last night.”

“That’s right.”

Quinn looked at Pierce. “What’s the meaning of this?”

Pierce smirked, “Well I thought she just liked me but it turns out she wants to talk to you. I guess she’s not your type though, is she?”

Quinn shuddered. “No. Thank you.” He gave a perfunctory bow to the woman and said, “Pierce, please escort your associate out.”

The woman folded her arms. “Darth Vowrawn sent me.”

Quinn raised a brow. “Then you are more than you seem?” 

2V-R8 scurried into the room and announced, “Captain Quinn, Lieutenant Pierce’s men have arrived.”

Pierce nodded, “I’ll go get ‘em and we’ll figure out what ordnance we have between us.” He stepped out.

Quinn ushered the woman into the conference room but Belara didn’t sit down. Quinn took a seat and asked as politely as possible, “Forgive me, but how do I know you are speaking the truth, em… I’m sorry, what is your name?”

The woman glanced around the room. “You can call me Belara.”

“Are you Imperial Intelligence?” 

“Sith.”

“Ah, excuse me, My Lord, for not…”

She held up a hand. “No. You will call me Belara. I work undercover for Lord Vowrawn. The less people that know that, the better. But he says I can trust you.” She sat down. “Lord Vowrawn’s had me watching over your crew since you landed. He’s been worried the Emperor’s Wrath might be attacked.”

“By whom?”

“There’s a wide array of characters that would prefer that Wrath, the Hand and the Voice would all just disappear.”

Quinn sucked in a breath, “Treasonous.”

“Yes. But the point is, if Wrath disappears in our capital city, where she should be strongest, it discredits her entire following.”

“Then why did Lord Vowrawn summon her here?”

Belara held up her hand and pulled a mini-commlink off her belt. It flashed as she looked at it and then she put it back on her hip. “Evidently Wrath is still alive.”

Quinn gripped the conference table’s edge. “Has someone seen her?”

Belara nodded. “We wait for one other Sith and then we move. As for your other question, Lord Vowrawn didn’t summon you. Intelligence recently picked up a Revanite called Torrun and under interrogation he said Wrath had become a sworn Revanite a year ago.”

Quinn shook his head. “That’s a lie.”

Belara shrugged, “Vowrawn isn’t concerned about the Revanites. But someone on the Council found out about Torrun’s confession and summoned you here to discredit her.”

Pierce walked in followed by Arlos and Tanido, both carrying heavy bags. Arlos was a tech expert; he was gangly, young, fair and twitchy. Tanido was a tall, well-groomed officer with a pencil mustache. Quinn recalled Pierce saying Tanido was a wizard with ordnance. Following them was a tall female. Her bright red skin and facial spikes declared she was pureblood Sith. Quinn leapt to his feet, “Who-?!”

The Sith held up her hand and nodded to Belara. In a delicate and impeccable Imperial accent she said, “I’ve been sent by Lord Vowrawn. I am Ladra.”

Belara nodded, “This is Lord Ladra, she’s a Sith Assassin. She’s very good at her job.”

Ladra nodded and dropped a duffel bag on the conference table. Belara quickly moved to open it and pulled out equipment and gear. She began shedding her meager costume and pulling on armor as Ladra continued, “By now our enemies have surely discovered we have gathered here and that we know Wrath is in trouble.”

Quinn bowed and fought not to glance at Belara’s shameless nudity. He said, “I agree. I just received intel that she’s been seen two kilometers northwest of the temple.” He tapped at a control panel and a three-dimensional map of the nearby terrain appeared and spread over the conference table’s surface. 

Ladra nodded and pointed to the area in question. “That area is avoided by most people. It is very strong with the dark side and Sith-wrought beasts prowl its jungle. The concentrated power in this area is why the temple was built here. Regardless, there are a few shelters in that area where apprentices sometimes go for an extended time to study the Force.”

Pierce looked carefully at the terrain. “Don’t think we could take a big force that way, too rough for speeders. Are we likely to face Imperial troops?”

Quinn felt a bit nauseated as he watched Ladra slowly look Pierce’s oversized, muscular body up and down with naked lust. Fortunately Pierce was still looking at the map and didn’t notice; Quinn thought the man was already far too cocky about his appearance. 

Ladra licked her lips and said, “I cannot predict. Tell me, have you been trained to resist dark side suggestion?”

Pierce shrugged and motioned to his friends. “We’ve had black ops training. We can resist the low level general spells, terror, stuns, that sort of thing. Doubt we could hold up against a one-on-one attack.”

Ladra’s gaze went lazily back to Quinn. “I sense you also have some experience.”

Quinn nodded, unwilling to give her more information than necessary. “Much the same as Lieutenant Pierce.”

“It will have to do. I expect there will be several Sith assassins as well as trusted and trained troops guarding Wrath.”

Vette ran into the room and stopped short seeing the assembly. “Uh, Quinn… Captain Quinn… Jaesa woke up.” She curtsied uncertainly at the group and then ran out again.

Quinn stood up. “Lieutenant Pierce and Lieutenant Tanido, please prepare whatever ordnance and gear you feel would be helpful. Sergeant Arlos, the security of our comm system has been breached; perhaps you might see what you can do to correct that.” Tanido and Arlos nodded their heads. “We should plan to move out as soon as possible. My Lord Ladra, and… Belara, please follow me.”

When they entered the med bay Vette was speaking into the kolto tank comm, “You’re okay, Jaesa. Just relax.”

Jaesa was clearly in distress. Quinn rushed to the control panel and administered pain medications. She continued to claw at the tank wall.

Ladra sighed with pleasure, “She is in pain and is afraid. She senses me, as I do her.”

Vette made way for Quinn and caught sight of Belara. The two Twi’lek women looked each other over critically as Quinn punched the comm. “Jaesa Willsaam, you on are onboard Lord Wrath’s ship. You are injured, please calm yourself.”

Ladra studied the Jedi for a moment, “Captain, can we speak to her?”

“It should be safe enough to take her from the tank for a short time. But it has occurred to me she may be electronically tagged in some way, so I will respectfully ask you to initially remain silent, My Lord.” 

Ladra nodded and pulled the hood of her cloak over her face. Belara moved behind the Sith.

Quinn and 2V-R8 pulled Jaesa from the tank and Vette put a blanket around her. Quinn lay Jaesa down on the med bay stretcher as Jaesa looked around in confusion, shivering and blinking the kolto out of her eyes.

Jaesa eyed Ladra, who smirked back at her. Jaesa turned to Quinn, who was carefully examining her wounds. “How did I get here?”

Vette patted Jaesa’s hand, “I found you in the jungle; you were injured. You’re on the ship now, safe.”

Quinn pulled out a tech scanner and began to slowly scan Jaesa, starting with her head and working his way down.

Jaesa wrung her hands. “My Master is in trouble.” 

Quinn nodded. “So we have gathered. Do you know who took her?”

“We went to the rendezvous. When we got there all we found was a man’s corpse. And then we were ambushed by a half-dozen Sith. They were all wearing helmets that covered their faces.”

Quinn asked, “What colors were they wearing? Any insignia?”

Jaesa shook her head. “They were all wearing dark or black armor. Some men and a woman I think. It was already night in the jungle so it was hard to see in any case. I didn’t feel their presence until just before the attack.”

Quinn thought for a moment and glanced at Ladra, “Sith assassins?” Ladra nodded.

Jaesa continued, “My Master was amazing, you should have seen her. I think she killed one of them. But they hit me with some sort of stun beam… like that one…” She gestured to Quinn. “Like that one you used… that time.”

Quinn nodded brusquely, thinking of the stunner he’d used on Jaesa at the transponder station. “That particular model sets off a low level seizure which also works against Force users.”

“They… they used me to make her surrender to them and to call you. I passed out and when I woke up I was alone. All I found was my Master’s light saber.” Jaesa hung her head in shame.

Quinn ground his teeth. If he had accompanied M he would have watched Jaesa’s back and she his. M might not have been taken. He frowned at the tech scanner in his hand and said to Jaesa, “Perhaps they left you there because they expected you to come back here. Ah yes, here we go. Please hold still, this will not hurt.” He took out a scalpel and made a shallow incision on Jaesa’s right thigh. Using small forceps he pulled a slim metallic chip out from under her skin and put it on a tray. He handed it carefully to Vette. “Take this to our tech friend and see what it reveals. Then destroy it.”

Vette nodded and hurried out.

Ladra moved forward and pulled back her hood. Jaesa startled at the sight of the pureblood Sith’s facial spines but squinted up at her. “I… know you.”

Ladra put her hand on Jaesa’s forehead. “No, you don’t.”

Quinn shivered as he felt the power of the mental suggestion Ladra was aiming at Jaesa. He thought it must be a full strength spell for an ordinary man like him to feel it. Or maybe he was getting used to sensing the spells. He assumed Jaesa could withstand such an assault, and she apparently had the presence of mind to play along, saying, “Oh, no… I don’t.” 

Ladra smiled and patted Jaesa’s hand. “I’m here to help find Lord Wrath. Now, Padawan, you’ll tell us why you went to this rendezvous.”

Quinn began to object but Ladra held up her hand and said, “You will be silent.”

Quinn’s anger flared as he felt the mental assault of the suggestion on his will. He wanted to speak but his voice was trapped in his throat. He couldn’t overcome the Sith’s command, but at least now he knew it for what it was. He nodded and silently cursed himself for not training with M sooner.

Jaesa looked at Quinn uncertainly but when he nodded approval she swallowed convulsively. She said, “I was here on Dromund Kaas a few months ago. I’m trained in the ways of the Jedi and the light side, but my Master has opened my mind to the mysteries of the dark side. I’d felt a strange presence here and my Master allowed me to investigate. I felt that there was a kindred spirit to mine, and I found it belonged to a man I met here. I don’t know his true name; he called himself Torrun. Like me he was torn between his affinity to the light and dark side.”

Vette came back in and nodded to Quinn. 

Jaesa continued, “Anyway, I had a long talk with him, and tried to recruit him to our crew, but he said he didn’t want anyone to know about his conflicted feelings. So I left. Then today, a messenger came and gave my Master a message from Torrun to go to coordinates near the Grantham Estate. We went and we found Torrun; he was already dead and his body was all burned up. Then we were attacked.”

Ladra pondered this. “Are you sure the corpse was the same man?”

Jaesa gritted her teeth as Quinn inspected and cleaned the light saber wound on her leg and she said, “I thought so, but now that I think of it, we didn’t have much chance to look carefully.”

Vette asked Ladra, “Do you know who this guy Torrun was, My Lord?”

Ladra nodded. “Yes. He was brought in to the Dark Council for interrogation several weeks ago on charges of being a Revanite.” She paused. “Captain Quinn, you may speak. When you were Darth Baras’s assistant, do you know the manner of his connection with Darth Ravage?”

“I was not privileged to Lord Baras’s secrets, but my impression was that he was closest with Darth Marr.”

“Interesting.” Ladra nodded to herself and walked out of the med bay without further comment, Belara trailing behind her.

Quinn waited for them to leave and turned to Vette. “We will be leaving to find Lord Wrath as soon as possible. The trip will take us into an area of jungle very strong with dark force creatures. It would be best if you were to remain here to care for Willsaam and to serve as a backup asset. This ship is in grave danger at present. You may be required to defend it. I don’t believe you’ve had training to resist the Dark Side?”

Vette shook her head and swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. “Nah, when you’re a slave they want you as easy to control as possible.”

Jaesa coughed and grimaced with pain, but said, “I’ll help you with that, Vette, as soon as my Master is safe again.”

Vette nodded. “I’m all over it, Quinn, don’t worry.”

Quinn continued, “If I fail at my mission then you should assume that Lord Wrath, Pierce and I are dead.” He nodded to Jaesa and said soberly, “Lord Wrath wishes you both to survive this conflict. If necessary take the ship to the… safe location.” He glanced at Vette and put a finger to his lips to remind her of the possible surveillance of the room. She nodded. He turned back to Jaesa, “Willsaam, you know what to do.”

Jaesa frowned and nodded. “I’ll take care of Vette.”

Quinn looked sternly at Vette. “You will follow Willsaam’s orders. This is Lord Wrath’s will.”

Vette’s face crumpled. “Are you guys gonna die?”

Quinn raised a brow. “I will do everything in my power to avoid the endgame scenario, Vette. Remain strong.”

Vette nodded forlornly.

Quinn nodded. “There is no time to waste. Vette, let’s get Willsaam back into the kolto. You may need her to be able to fight.”

“Sure thing, Quinn.”

He turned to Jaesa. “You need another hour in the kolto at a minimum; if you wish to heal yourself with your Jedi spells you will benefit from the added strength it will afford you.” 

Jaesa smiled at him. “Thank you, but please, don’t worry about me. Just find my master and bring her back safe.”

 

***

 

Quinn emerged from the med bay to find Pierce and his team organizing weapons and supplies. Arlos looked up at Quinn with boyish excitement. “Captain, that chip you pulled out of your Jedi was a standard one-way mid-range bug. I destroyed it. But I think I figured out your comm problem.” He held out one of the standard commlinks the whole crew used. “This is a really clever slice, Captain, it looks like a Cedrax mod to me. It’s transmitting information way down in the spectrum. If you scan it and don’t know where to look, the signal would look like noise. Whoever is listening in would need pretty expensive equipment to reformat the information into something coherent.”

“Can you scramble it?”

“Oh better than that, I just removed the converter causing the problem. I’ve marked the comms that are safe to use.”

Pierce patted Arlos on the shoulder. “That’s my boy; the kid’s a genius, eh Quinn?”

Quinn nodded, relieved. “Your work is excellent, Sergeant Arlos. Well done.”

Arlos beamed. “Thank you, sir.”

Lieutenant Tanido cleared his throat. “I also have several modified stealth shields, enough for the four of us.” He motioned to the four non-Sith team members. “It might give us an advantage.”

Quinn nodded. “Excellent. 

Ladra came out of the conference room with Belara trailing behind. “We will have at least one more Sith on our side. We will rendezvous near the target area.”

Pierce frowned. “The only remaining concern is how to find M; I figure once we spot her we’ll come with a way to get her back.”

Quinn fell into his military pose. “I will be able to find her, if they have not stripped her of her ring.”

Ladra raised a brow, “Oh?”

Quinn nodded. “When we were married, I gave her a ring as a gift. The ring is not only decorative, but it also works as a low range localizing device.”

Pierce swore under his breath and said, “You sneaky bastard. Why the hell haven’t you mentioned this before?”

“Because as I just said, Lieutenant, it is a low range device. I checked for a signal the moment I knew she was in trouble; however, I would need to be within a kilometer or so in order to pinpoint her.”

Ladra pulled out her light saber and checked it. “Then there is nothing preventing us from going now. There are only a few hours until sunrise, we should be able to move through the jungle without detection by enemy troops.”

Quinn nodded and pulled a dark field medic jacket over his vest. “I agree. Everyone armor up.”


	8. Quinn leads a rescue mission into the jungle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn knows he is walking into a trap, but he is desperate to save his wife.

To the casual observer, Ladra and Belara left the ship alone. In fact, between Belara’s skintight armor and the Force powers of both Sith women, no one noticed the four shielded men moving with them through the mostly empty spaceport. From there the six moved swiftly west to the Sith Temple by foot then crept over the rocky terrain toward the target. Quinn noted the lack of jungle sounds here, and he wasn’t sure if it was because of the dark side energies or if it was a sign of enemy troops lurking in the darkness. Either possibility was bad. Finally he got a signal from M’s ring, and he prayed that she was still wearing it and that she was still alive. 

As they closed on her position a rain started to drizzle down upon them. It was a disadvantage; it would make their stealth cloaks slightly less efficient. Quinn thought it was likely they were being monitored, and expected the element of stealth gave them very little advantage in terms of surprise. But Ladra had insisted they travel on foot, because a speeder would be impossible to move undetected. Perhaps her instincts had been correct; no one bothered them as they moved through the jungle. Soon they discovered they were moving toward a yellow glow directly in the direction of M’s ring’s signal. 

With a quiet word Belara went into Sith stealth mode and moved forward to scout the situation. She returned a short time later to report she had seen M. “Half a kilometer forward there is a clearing. Lord Wrath is imprisoned in the center of this clearing.”

Quinn couldn’t stop himself from blurting out, “Is she injured?”

Belara regarded him. “She is alive. However, around this clearing is a company of regular Imperial troops, a hundred or so. And I detected at least seven Sith nearby.

“Seven?” Ladra asked. “Did they detect you?”

“I don’t believe so, My Lord.”

Quinn found himself close to tears with relief, but he kept his composure. “It sounds even more like a trap.”

Belara nodded, “It is definitely a trap.”

Pierce looked at his squad mates. “If we do have the element of surprise, with a few minutes of preparation we can deal with a company of troops. But I’m not eager to kill friendlies.”

Ladra said coldly, “If they have kidnapped your Lord and ill-treated her, they are not ‘friendlies’.”

Pierce digested that. “We’ll do what it takes to get her back. But we aren’t a match for seven Sith.”

Ladra nodded. “You will leave those to us.”

Quinn said, “I don’t understand why they would go through such an elaborate process and bring so many assets. Surely if they wanted Lord Wrath’s entourage killed they could have done so with only a few Sith assassins.”

Ladra raised a brow. “This trap is not meant for you.”

“Then for whom is it meant?”

A figure moved out of the shadows, “This trap is meant for me.”

The men turned their weapons toward the intruder, who held up his hand and pulled back his hood.

Quinn gasped, “Lord Vowrawn!”

Vowrawn was armored for battle, clad in exquisite crimson armor that complemented the deep red color of his pure-blood Sith skin. His armor was set with deadly spikes on his pauldrons and had an equally intimidating helm that he held under one arm. He turned to Quinn and Pierce. “I sense your anxiety for your mistress. We will rescue Lord Wrath and destroy these assassins.”

Quinn glanced at Pierce and then at Vowrawn. “Lord Vowrawn, although I appreciate your assistance more than I can adequately express, I cannot imagine Lord Wrath would want you risking yourself in this fashion.”

Vowrawn nodded. “Perhaps, but if the Emperor’s Wrath is taken and killed, it will severely weaken my position on the Council, not to mention the disgrace it brings to the Emperor Himself. The situation calls for my personal intervention.” 

Quinn frowned. “Could this be a ploy to leave your people in Kaas City unprotected as well?”

Vowrawn narrowed his eyes at Quinn. “It likely is, but I did not leave them unprotected. Lord Qet protects them, among others.”

Quinn bowed, “I did not mean to presume…”

Vowrawn waved his hand dismissively and turned to the others. “I’ve brought some people of my own, but I could only bring a selection of those that I could completely trust. Let us plan our assault; dawn is approaching.”

 

***

 

_M woke in the dark. She got to her knees and reached out with her hands and her mind, but could detect nothing about her surroundings. She heard a sound behind her and leapt to her feet, whirling._

_There was a hooded figure, a Voss male, standing a few meters before her, softly glowing a dark blue._

_“I know you,” she said. “You were the vessel of the Emperor’s Voice. I killed you. I freed you.”_

_The Voss replied in a whisper. “You will suffer terribly. It is my will. But you will have your revenge.”_

_M swallowed deeply. “I don’t understand.”_

_“When the time comes, do not hold back. You will be unstoppable.”_

_“Where is this place?”_

_“This isn’t a place, you are sheltering in your mind.”_

_“Then… what is happening?”_

_“It is time to leave the shelter.”_

_Her world exploded with pain._

 

***

 

With their stealth shields activated, Quinn and Arlos crept forward past several troopers standing guard, and then in between several large equipment chests where they’d be relatively well hidden even without their stealth shields. Between the equipment containers and generators, there was a gap through which Quinn could finally see M. She was in a small portable cylindrical cell, enclosed by a glowing yellow force field. 

Quinn pulled out his macrobinoculars and had to stifle a groan when he saw the state she was in. She was kneeling in the center of the cell, blindfolded and gagged. Her armor was shredded and smeared with blood, and where he could see her skin it was covered with evolving bruises and cuts. Her arms were secured behind her with shock binders and her wrists were pulled up and attached to the ceiling of the small cell; her neck was tethered to the floor. He was gratified to see his ring still on her finger, but most distressed by the visibly sparking yellow tendrils of energy pouring over M’s skin. 

“Bastards,” he said under his breath. There was no doubt that this was a trap and she was being displayed as the bait. He swore to himself that no enemy would leave this camp alive. 

He passed the binoculars to Arlos who took a prolonged look. Arlos came close and whispered, “They’ve got her behind three force fields. The middle one is a modulating system I’ve seen before on Korriban. The outer one is booby trapped; I can see the rig just to the right.” 

“Can you bring it down?”

“With enough time, sure. But they’ve got her hooked up to some electrical field. I’d guess if I try to hurry she’ll get fried… uh… more fried.”

Quinn frowned angrily. “Then I’ll have to buy you as much time as is possible. Would the guards have the passkey for the system?”

Arlos shook his head. “With all the work that went into this operation, I’d bet the passkeys are only on the commander. I can slice it, don’t worry.” He went back to studying the electronics. 

Quinn stewed, feeling helpless and angry that he’d kept M waiting this long. This close to her, he thought he would surely be able to feel it if she mentally called out to him, but he suspected the motivation behind her torment was to make it as difficult as possible for her to concentrate.

Arlos turned his attention to something on his right and at the same time Quinn heard Pierce’s voice on his comm. “Stand by. In five.” Quinn lowered his polarizing lenses, closed his eyes and activated his energy shield. Within five seconds there was a subsonic boom and even through his closed eyes he could see the flash of light caused by the flash/bang/stun ordnance Tanido had devised. 

Before the flash had dimmed, blaster and grenade fire filled the air as Pierce’s team dispatched the stunned troops. Quinn patted Arlos’s arm. “Let’s go.”

As they ran the remaining forty meters, still stealthed, Quinn saw flashes of blaster fire scattered in the jungle surrounding the clearing. Even if the initial flash/bang assault neutralized half the troops, there would still be fifty or so against Pierce, Tanido and the five commandos Vowrawn had trusted enough to bring with him. Their Sith would be waiting out the fight until the assassins showed up. So far he didn’t hear lightsaber play, but at least now he had the distraction he needed to get Arlos into position to help M.

Three of the enemy troops had fallen back to M’s cell, ready for an assault. At least one of them was Imperial Special Forces. That confirmed Quinn’s fears; on Dromund Kaas, Special Forces were usually only attached to Dark Council members. 

This was no time to fight fair. When he was within range, Quinn took careful aim and shot the Special Forces man in the temple. He went down, but the two remaining men now knew where Quinn was. He took one blaster bolt on the shoulder, burning out the stealth shield and his personal shield as well, and he dived behind a supply crate for cover. He shot a carbonizing stream at the first assailant and got two shots into the chest of the second. He put two bolts through the forehead of the carbonized first assailant and then backed up as close as possible to the force field around M, dragging another crate into position as cover. He scanned for threats knowing Arlos was behind the cage, still stealthed, slicing the system. 

Quinn launched a medical probe for himself and glanced back quickly at M, who was convulsing from the electricity shooting over her body. A dark pool of blood had formed underneath her and Quinn suddenly feared she might already be dead. “My Lord?” She didn’t respond. “Wife?!” He fired at a pair of troopers taking cover behind some equipment crates across the clearing.

He risked a longer look at M and shouted her name. She didn’t move or make a sound. Her legs were bare and he could see one of the bones of her right lower leg was broken; he could see the broken bone clearly through her skin and the overlying skin was purple and distorted with blood. He ducked back down and said into his comm, “Arlos?”

Arlos said, “Yes, Captain, I’m working on it.”

“Can you get that shock field off of her?”

“I need to get the first shield down first so I don’t fry her. Don’t touch the cell.”

“Understood.”

He popped up again and fired at a group of troopers making their way toward him. He could hear Pierce directing his own men over his earpiece and then Pierce said, “Quinn, is it her?”

“I’m not certain, I’ll know when we get the shields down.”

Pierce barked, “Arlos, speed it up!”

“Yes Sir.”

Quinn still hadn’t heard sabers engage. It worried him; surely the Sith kidnappers were still here. He heard a pop behind him and then the hum of current dissipated. He glanced at M, now hanging limply by her wrists. He ducked back down as a blaster shot fired past his face, close enough that he sustained a superficial burn on his cheek. His floating medical probe dutifully sprayed his head with kolto and he coughed and sputtered. He angrily slapped the probe to the ground. Arlos crowed through Quinn’s earpiece, “That’s two shields! One to go.”

Quinn replied, “Understood.” He popped up again and returned fire. A blast slammed him in the chest, but his shield had recovered enough to deflect injury. “Pierce, I’ve got eleven troops, two Special Forces bearing down on me.” 

“Got it.”

Quinn shot at the closest trooper, still a good twenty meters off, and missed, but his target went down, hit by a shot from Quinn’s right. He looked at the source and saw Tanido crouched in the shadows with a sniper rifle. Tanido murmured into Quinn’s earpiece, “I’ve got you covered, Captain. No one will get to your position.”

Arlos spoke up, “Third shield coming down in a moment. I just have to deactivate the booby trap underneath her. These people knew what they were doing.”

Quinn took a shot at a Special Forces man hiding behind a tree and then turned and crawled toward the cage. He pulled out M’s light saber from his pack and readied himself. When the third shield suddenly disappeared Arlos shouted, “Go!” Quinn activated the blade and cut the thick wire tether around M’s neck and the one holding her arms. M collapsed into a pile. With blaster bolts flying past his head, he grabbed her shoulders and dragged her off the platform of the cage and down behind the service crates. 

“I’ve got her.”

Pierce asked, “Is it her?”

“Stand by.” Quinn turned M over and used his vibroknife to cut off the blindfold and gag. Despite her injuries, there was no doubt in his mind that this was his wife. He felt for her pulse and almost wept with relief. He keyed his commlink with his free hand, “It’s her. Move to phase three.”

Pierce called out, “Fall back on Quinn’s position. Come on men, let’s clear out these traitors.”

Arlos crawled over to Quinn and winced as he took in M’s bruised face. One of her eyes was swollen shut and dark blood was oozing from her nose and swollen lips. “Is she dead?”

Quinn shook his head. “Thankfully, no. Can you get the shock collar and binders off of her?” He launched several med probes that began circling M’s body.

Arlos nodded and got to work on the binders as Quinn pulled kolto packs out of his supply kit and applied them to M’s most obvious injuries. As soon as Arlos got the cuffs off of M’s ankles Quinn grabbed a quick-seal splint and started affixing it to her broken leg. A few moments later the air was filled with the sounds of close rifle fire and then Pierce was next to him, firing at the remaining enemy troops that were closing in on them, covering for Tanido and the commandos.

Once his men were in position around Quinn and M, Pierce took a look at M and cursed. He stood and lobbed a high yield grenade. He crouched down again as it burst, throwing bits of Imperial soldiers into the air. He grunted, “Bastards died too easy.”

Quinn looked up. “You’re wounded.”

“Not bad. Take care of the missus first. I can wait.”

“Will you still be able to transport her?”

“Can still carry her out of here as soon as you give the go ahead, no worries.” 

Quinn nodded and went back to work, trying to stabilize his wife. His portable medical scanner was screaming at him; she had so many injuries that it was difficult to triage. One of her lungs was filled with blood or fluid and was half-collapsed; he touched her gingerly and felt the tell-tale crepitus of air under her skin along with the movement of her broken ribs. Her pulse was thready; she was in shock. He loaded a med probe with blood replacement and as it worked he carefully drained the space pressing against her lung. Despite his concentration, he caught his breath as he heard the sound of a light saber igniting. 

“Lord Vowrawn!” a male voice called from nearby. “I’m not going to let your friends leave here with my prize.” 

Pierce muttered, “Here we go.”

Firing from the remaining Imperial forces stopped and a tall man in dark heavy armor stepped into the clearing. A smooth shiny mask obscured his face, and he was followed by six other Sith, four male, two female, all also masked and armed. 

Vowrawn stepped into the light as well, with Ladra and Belara behind him, sabers drawn. 

Quinn looked down at M, who was still unconscious, and whispered, “Forgive me, Wife, but I need to wake you. I can’t let you slip away.” He gave her a kolto jolt followed by a stim and her uninjured eye fluttered open. He put a finger to her lips. She blinked in confusion and looked past him at Pierce, who gave her the thumbs up. She coughed and spit out blood. She croaked out, “Malavai?”

“It’s me.”

“You’re alive?”

“Yes. Your kidnappers are here, we need to get you out of here.”

She frowned at him. “You’re alive, Malavai?”

“Yes, Wife. As are you.”

She smiled tentatively at him. Her teeth were covered in blood. “You’re alive.”

Quinn keyed his comm and said, “Lord Wrath is awake.”

Ladra replied softly through his earpiece, “Can she fight?”

“I don’t believe so.”

“She may have to.”

Quinn pulled Pierce down beside him, tore open a kolto field pack and poured it over her neck and torso. “Stabilize her back; I need to turn her over and I fear her ribs are broken.”

To M’s credit she didn’t make a sound when they rolled her over and Quinn inspected her injuries, which were horrific. Arlos leaned in and pushed a slicing key against the slave shock collar attached to the back of her neck, removing the attachment brace gently without getting in Quinn’s way. Quinn grunted in thanks and scanned M’s underlying spine. In the tight quarters, Quinn had to lean against Pierce to see properly, and he felt Pierce tense with anger at the injuries revealed under M’s ruined armor. For the first time Quinn didn’t completely despise the man; he obviously cared for M a great deal, in his way. But Quinn shook his head in distress as he worked; M was mortally injured and she would die without immediate attention. He needed to get her to a medical facility, but she wouldn’t live through the journey like this. 

Quinn was concentrating on stopping the bleeding in her kidneys and didn’t notice when the Sith began fighting each other. But M obviously did. She put a hand out to grip his wrist and he saw her eyes glowing a dim red. “I can’t think. They drugged me. Help.”

Arlos passed Quinn his medpack and he dug out a cleansing stim. He jabbed it into M’s arm and within a few moments she nodded and rolled onto her side, despite the three men’s efforts to keep her still. Quinn was alarmed by her sudden display of strength. Was it a dying spasm? M said simply, “Give me a blade.” The glow in her eyes got brighter. 

Quinn passed over her light saber and she gripped the end so hard her knuckles whitened. He held it for a moment before releasing it to her saying, “You’re too injured to fight, Wife. You’ll die.” 

She smiled and when she took the blade her entire body flared with dark, shifting power, pushing the three men away from her body. Quinn gasped as she rolled to her knees, evidently unaware of her broken leg. She came close, leaned forward, and kissed him hard. He tasted her blood on his lips. She said softly, “Don’t die.” Then her voice became disconcertingly hollow and deep and she growled, “I’ll be right back.” As she rose, the air crackled and smelled of ozone. Her entire body glowed a brighter flickering red and the ground under them trembled. 

Quinn’s heart skipped a beat as her growl became a deafening roar and her body’s glow shifted from red to gold. She cried out and flew over the supply crates they had been sheltering behind. 

Arlos shook his head in disbelief. “What just happened?”

Pierce nodded approvingly. “She’s angry.”

Quinn agreed, “She will be unstoppable.”

She was. Vowrawn, Ladra and Belara had been holding their own, but the seven Sith opponents had them surrounded. M’s first frenzied leap took her to one of the female Sith, and in a stroke she had cleaved the woman in half. She flipped and caught the woman’s saber in her left hand before it hit the ground. Two male Sith wielding double-bladed sabers turned to fight her and she battled them simultaneously, ducking and weaving, glowing brighter and brighter the entire time. 

Quinn watched her with mixed awe and terror. She didn’t seem real now. She was an avenging wraith cutting the two men down without effort, her feet barely touching the ground, her two sabers whirling too fast to track. Surely she would never survive this fight.

The odds were evened now, and between Vowrawn’s admirable defenses and M’s spinning attacks all of the opposing Sith were in pieces within moments. When the last one fell, M floated, panting over the bodies, her eyes and skin glowing so white hot that Quinn had to squint to look at her. She roared into the sky and the air vibrated around her, spinning and becoming lightning that crackled and reached for the sky. The misting of rain became a drenching downpour and washed clean her bloodied armor. “Run!” she bellowed in her unearthly, deep voice. “Run! I’m coming for you! All of you!” She howled and red flames of dark Force power shot out of her eyes, mouth and fingertips. The ground rumbled and shifted; behind Quinn and Pierce a tree cracked, struck by lightning, and fell to the ground narrowly missing Tanido. Quinn heard cries of terror from the jungle just beyond the light and he almost pitied the remaining Imperial troops as M leapt into the darkness with a roar to slaughter them.

When she was gone Quinn stood silently in the torrential rain, his fists clenched. Surely with this display of power she would heal herself and survive. Surely. He glanced around at the others, standing in equal disbelief and fear. Quinn realized that regardless of his concern for her he could not show weakness or doubt. He would be confident for her sake. He walked towards the carnage she had created, closely followed by Pierce and his men. Lord Vowrawn knelt and removed the mask from the leader.

Quinn asked, “Who was he?”

Vowrawn sighed. “Lord Aerumna’s apprentice. But Aerumna recently went missing. If he turns up again he can deny knowledge of this mission.” He examined another corpse. “And here is Cendence’s protégé. Strange, I thought he was already dead.”

Ladra rolled over a third corpse and nodded to herself. “What shall we do with these bodies, My Lord?”

“Take the heads. Strip them of their gear. Make certain you don’t miss any transmitters, data pads or cameras in the area. Leave the bodies to the scavengers. They will be devoured and forgotten.” Ladra nodded and she and Belara began the gruesome collection.

Vowrawn pulled off his helm and looked out into the jungle, where the sounds of terror were growing fainter. He closed his eyes and turned his face against the rain, smiling, and saying, “She truly is the Emperor’s Wrath. I have never felt such anger, such power.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, soaking in the sensation M evoked. “It is… inspiring.”

When Vowrawn opened his eyes again and looked at him, Quinn bowed. “I am indebted to you for your assistance and I must apologize for allowing her to be captured. It has put you in harm’s way.”

Vowrawn frowned. “Allowing her? She is your superior. She does only as the Emperor wills. Even as we speak she is bringing death to His enemies.”

Quinn shifted uncomfortably, wondering whether it had also been the Emperor’s will to torture her so terribly. He stopped himself; to question the Emperor was treasonous. He bowed his head to Vowrawn again and said, “I spoke carelessly, My Lord. What I meant to say is that I will endeavor to improve security in the future.”

Vowrawn nodded, “See that you do.” 

Quinn bowed and then turned to get his medical supplies. Pierce and several of the men had injuries he would attend to. 

After a quarter of an hour the jungle suddenly went deathly silent and the rain stopped. Quinn looked up from where he was treating the men and held his breath. Vowrawn said simply, “Ladra, find her.”

Ladra nodded and darted off into the jungle.


	9. Quinn returns to his ship and hears voices.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Quinn's wife's amazing display she falls into unconsciousness. Quinn is forced to leave her in Lord Vowrawn's care.

Quinn was applying a kolto bandage to Pierce’s left shoulder when Ladra returned carrying an unconscious M. 

M was no longer glowing, and although her face was pale and drawn, much of the horrific swelling and bruising had disappeared. Her entire body was splattered with blood, although she had no fresh wounds of her own. Quinn rushed forward to help, activating several kolto probes for M as he ran. Ladra paused when he approached, but she let him take M in his arms. Quinn was almost breathless with relief; M was impossibly alive. He looked at Lord Vowrawn, who was still standing vigilant with Belara and his commandos. “May I take her home?” 

Vowrawn nodded as Arlos moved forward with a cloak to cover M’s near-naked body. Vowrawn said, “Let’s get back to the city,” and directed his people to guard Quinn and M as they moved out of the jungle.

With the sun beginning to rise in Dromund Kaas’s perpetually cloudy sky, Quinn navigated the undergrowth of the jungle easily holding M in his arms. His cybernetic healing probes circled his charge as he walked, reporting their progress to him via his earpiece, and thus far the probes’ reports were far more encouraging than they had been only an hour before. 

At one point Pierce offered to carry M but Quinn wasn’t tired. She felt as light as a feather in his arms; he had never felt so relieved or happy in his life as he did now. She was still badly hurt, but after her amazing display of power and her return he felt confident that she would live. 

When they emerged from the dense foliage of the jungle there were several ground speeders waiting for them along with an Imperial Guard escort. Quinn climbed into the lead speeder and sat with M on his lap; Vowrawn and Ladra climbed in to sit opposite him. As the speeder flew towards the Imperial Citadel, Quinn broke out a strength adrenal and a painkiller and injected them both into her thigh. Her crepitus was gone and her ribs felt solid; he assumed she must have healed the injuries herself. Even the kidney damage seemed to be resolved. He was now concerned about the broken leg; the splint had held but the wound was open and likely infected. He was inspecting it when Vowrawn said, “You have a very deep love for Lord Wrath.”

Quinn blinked and looked up at Lord Vowrawn. “Yes. Of course.”

Vowrawn nodded. “There are some that had suggested your marriage was meant simply to rebuild your career, Captain Quinn.”

Quinn blushed, embarrassed, but said, “Lord Wrath took an interest in me when I was assigned to her, but-“

Vowrawn interrupted, “There is no shame in loving your wife, Captain. We Sith are creatures of passion. Love, lust, pride, jealousy… these are powerful forces for us. They give us strength.”

Quinn nodded, unsure what to say other than “Yes, My Lord.”

“Love can also make one behave quite illogically. Guard against becoming a liability to your wife.”

Quinn nodded again. “Yes, My Lord.” 

Vowrawn glanced at Ladra and then back at Quinn. “Captain, after the matter with Lord Draahg…”

“Yes, My Lord?” said Quinn patiently. He wasn’t in the mood to be nostalgic, but it would be foolish to say so to Vowrawn.

“I was so impressed by your performance I looked into your career. Into Druckenwell.”

Quinn stiffened. 

Vowrawn glanced at the droid driver and then leaned forward to say softly, “According to Sith records, the admiral in question was not to blame for Druckenwell.”

Quinn sucked in a breath; if Sith records absolved him of guilt that meant Lord Baras had been in a position to save Quinn from the loss of his honor and rank as admiral. Once M was recovered Quinn would devote time to analyzing the implications.

Vowrawn continued, “If that admiral had been Sith he would have been praised and promoted for his initiative. He would have killed the Moff in charge and taken his place. But he was not Sith, and was unfairly demoted and underwent interrogation so that the political forces behind Moff Broysc would benefit. Those forces were from noble families, Captain Quinn, not Sith.”

Quinn nodded slowly, unsure how to respond.

Vowrawn smiled wryly at Quinn. “Let us say that many of my Sith colleagues feel you are a valuable asset which was nearly lost through Broysc’s incompetence. And it is a relief to many on the Dark Council that Broysc… disappeared?”

Ladra chuckled.

Quinn suddenly felt very uncomfortable with Vowrawn and Ladra peering at him. He would never admit out loud to them that he and M had murdered Moff Broysc, even though they clearly knew. Fortunately, the walls of Kaas City came into sight and that gave him an excuse to change the topic. “Ah, we are here, My Lord.”

Vowrawn turned his head to look and ordered the guard driving the speeder to take them directly to his personal medical suite in the Imperial Citadel. 

Quinn looked down anxiously at M’s bruised face and couldn’t resist pulling her against him, feeling her breathing reassuringly against his neck. He vowed she would never be taken from him again. 

 

 

As soon as the speeder pulled up to the Citadel they were met by Lord Qet and another honor guard. Qet and Vowrawn headed farther into the Citadel in deep conversation. The honor guard escorted Quinn, M and the other injured men to Vowrawn’s chambers. Ladra stood watch near the entrance and Belara lounged nearby with Tanido, all on high alert. 

When a medical droid hurried forward with a stretcher for M it was difficult for Quinn to let her go, but Pierce clapped a meaty hand on his shoulder. “Come on Quinn, let ‘em do their work.” He pulled Quinn away and pointed him toward a nearby washroom. “Go clean yourself up, mate, you’re a mess.”

Quinn frowned at Pierce. “I am not, as you say, a mess.”

Arlos peeked out from behind Pierce, “Sir, you’re covered with blood and kolto. Go clean up, we’ll make sure they treat her with respect. We’ll call you when she wakes up.”

Quinn reluctantly turned and went to the lounge. When he saw himself in the mirror he was surprised. Gone was the proper, immaculately groomed Imperial Officer. His collar was open and there were blaster burns over his jacket, many stained with kolto and blood. He thought it must mostly be M’s blood, but some of it might have been Pierce’s and the men’s. When he peeled off the jacket he realized he was also wounded. His shield must have failed when he was hit with blaster fire and there was a burn through his vest as well. The wound in his left chest was not very deep and it was no longer bleeding. He probed the injury through his undershirt with his finger, feeling vaguely unreal. 

He peeled off his vest and shirt and washed his chest and his face. He sighed and smoothed water through his hair, pushing it back into order. It felt ludicrous to be grooming himself when M was so terribly injured, but he was expected to keep up appearances. His trousers were soiled with mud, kolto and blood, and he pulled them off along with his mudcaked boots and handed all his clothing to the lounge valet droid. He pulled on the robe it proffered and reached into his pack. Turning back to the mirror, he applied a graft bandage onto his chest wound, thinking M would be annoyed with him if it left a scar. He sank down onto the lounge’s plush sofa and set his timer. He was asleep instantly.

Thirty minutes later he awoke to find his now clean clothes had been folded neatly beside him. He dressed, and as he was picking up his clean but ruined jacket he heard M scream his name. 

He tore out of the lavatory, his jacket in his hand, skidding to a stop by the open doorway to the medical treatment room. The medical droid and Arlos looked up as he burst through the door.

Arlos pushed himself off the wall where he had been leaning. “Sir?”

Quinn looked at M with confusion. She was asleep, freshly washed and tucked under a clean white sheet. “I heard her scream my name.”

The medical droid paused, a wad of wet gauze in his hand. “She has been unconscious since you left, Sir.”

Quinn frowned. “I swear I just heard-“ He started violently as he heard M scream again. Her voice was as loud and clear as if she were awake next to him.

Arlos put a hand on his arm, concerned. “Sir?”

“This is very disconcerting. I can hear her screaming in my mind and she’s calling my name.” Quinn swallowed hard, looking at M. He approached her stretcher and took her hand. “I’m here, My Lord.”

In his mind, M cried, “Malavai!”

Quinn looked at the medical droid in panic. “She’s in pain, or afraid, I’m not sure which.”

The med droid tilted his head impassively. “Her heart rate has risen slightly, sir. I will administer a pain inhibitor. It is possible you are hearing her thoughts? Telepathic communication is not uncommon amongst Sith here in the Citadel.”

Arlos said softly, “It’s probably just a nightmare.”

Quinn squeezed M’s hand. “Have you scanned her thoroughly? Were there injuries I missed and didn’t treat?”

The droid nodded. “I reported the results of my examination to Darth Vowrawn only a few minutes ago.”

“And?”

The droid hesitated.

Quinn said, “I’m her husband, surely you can tell me.” 

Arlos cleared his throat. “I’m… going to go check on the others.” He clapped Quinn on the shoulder and left.

When he had gone, the droid said, “She has sustained a large variety of injuries of indeterminate origin that are inconsistent with battle. I also regret to inform you your wife has been sexually assaulted.”

Quinn shuddered. “What?”

He was interrupted by another psychic cry from his wife. He felt sick. He felt helpless.

The med droid continued, “Of course I have taken samples and if the perpetrators are Imperial subjects, we will be able to identify them. At Lord Vowrawn’s command I have taken measures to prevent conception.”

Quinn nodded, unable to speak. 

Some time later Lieutenant Pierce came back into M’s med bay, his arm in a sling. The medical droid had withdrawn. Quinn had been sitting beside M’s bed for the last hour, holding her hand and staring fixedly at her face. Pierce sat down opposite Quinn. 

Pierce cleared his throat. “Em, listen, Quinn…”

Quinn didn’t look up and said with irritation, “What is it, Pierce?”

Pierce huffed, “Was gonna say good job out there, but if you’re gonna be a tosser…”

“She’s screaming in my head. Screaming my name.”

Pierce paused and looked at M. “Arlos said she’d be okay.”

“We weren’t fast enough to save her from their abuse. I wasn’t fast enough to keep them from…” his voice trailed off. It occurred to him that Pierce would probably make a meal of his grief and guilt. Quinn had to pull himself together.

Pierce cleared his throat. “Listen, Quinn, I was here when that droid told Vowrawn… well, I know what they did to her. If it helps, Vowrawn says they’re all dead. The droid identified those Sith with the DNA and the others… Vowrawn thinks they’re dead in the jungle. He’s got his people making sure they were all out there. Anyway… they won’t touch her again.”

Quinn blinked and looked at Pierce. “All dead? All? How many men violated her?”

Pierce shifted uncomfortably. “Ah… I don’t remember…”

“How many?!” Quinn felt close to hysteria.

Pierce winced, “He said ten. Well, nine and you, so, nine.”

Quinn let out a long shuddering sigh and squeezed M’s hand. “I’m sorry I didn’t kill the bastards myself.”

Pierce nodded. “You and me both, mate. But she got ‘em. Maybe how it should be.”

“Does anyone else know?”

“Me, Arlos, Vowrawn. I won’t tell anyone. The boss wouldn’t like it. And Arlos can keep a secret. Vowrawn says all the witnesses are dead, so she can say it didn’t happen. If she wants.” Pierce looked at M’s face and grunted angrily.

“Thank you for your discretion. Now, please… just… go away.”

Pierce hesitated and then quietly retreated. 

Quinn pulled M’s hand to his cheek. She continued to scream his name, but only he could hear her. He whispered, “I’m here, Wife. I’m here.” 

 

Not long after, the medical droid came back into the treatment room along with a nurse. They gently pried Quinn’s hand from M’s to take her to a waiting kolto tank. After they left Quinn sat alone, despondent. He wasn’t paying attention to the time, but startled when Lord Vowrawn, washed and dressed in his customary red robes, stepped into the room. “Captain Quinn.”

Quinn stood reflexively. “My Lord.”

“My people have picked up the courier, Met Selven. He is being interrogated. If he gives up information useful to Lord Wrath I will forward it to you.”

Quinn nodded, wishing fervently that the man would die on the interrogation table. It was better than the traitor deserved. “Thank you, My Lord.”

“Lord Ladra also reported that when she found Lord Wrath the jungle around her was destroyed, animals, plants, everything. The damage was inconsistent with any known weapon, although I’ve heard of such things in Sith historical records.”

Quinn frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“Lord Wrath’s power may be evolving. Take care not to anger her until she is fully recovered.”

Quinn shook his head, mystified. 

Vowrawn laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder and then paced the floor. “Most importantly, I require your assistance. We need Wrath to be back on her feet by this afternoon.”

Quinn glanced at his timepiece. Only two hours had passed since they had arrived back at the Citadel. Odd, it had seemed much longer. “This afternoon? That is only a few hours away.”

“Just so. But I would like her to appear in public to quash any rumors of her death or capture. Captain, over a hundred enemy troops have died and there is terrible, inexplicable devastation in the jungle where they had been positioned. I want her to appear unscathed; it will increase the terror and confusion of our opponents. I also prefer she be seen before nightfall so as to increase the number of witnesses and resulting tales of her invulnerability.”

Quinn rubbed his forehead, feeling exhausted. “My Lord, I’m not sure she’ll be conscious that soon. She’s been psychically calling to me for these last two hours. She seems to be in terror in her dreams, but I’m not sure she wants to wake up.”

“Yes,” said Vowrawn, “I’ve felt her distress, but it will pass. I also feel your distress and anger, Captain Quinn. You must channel these feelings outward, rather than drowning in them. Go destroy something, torture a slave, get it out of your system.”

Quinn straightened and nodded, “Of course. I will not let my emotions interfere with my duty.”

Vowrawn looked sternly at Quinn, “More importantly you must be ready to serve Lord Wrath. I’m ordering you to go back to your ship and clean up. Get yourself together, man!” 

Quinn gulped. “Yes, My Lord. Em, My Lord?”

“What is it?”

“You will let me know if her status changes?”

Vowrawn sighed impatiently. “Go now. Await further orders. We will bring her to your ship.”

Quinn controlled himself, just barely, from insisting on staying by her side. But he knew better than to make a Dark Lord of the Sith angry. “Yes, My Lord.”

 

***

 

Quinn, covered in an oversized cloak borrowed from Vowrawn’s entourage, took a taxi back to the spaceport and walked back to his ship’s hangar as nonchalantly as possible. He assumed the ship was being watched, but there was no reason for anyone to see him coming back in tattered, battleworn gear. Once onboard, he was greeted by 2V-R8.

“Welcome back to the ship, Captain Quinn. Mistress Jaesa has been asking to see you.” 

“Of course.” 

“I’ve also freshened Lord Wrath’s stateroom in preparation for her return.”

Quinn waved the droid away and walked slowly to the med bay, trying to gather himself. He could still hear his wife and it was a torment. She was calling only his name, over and over, wailing in anguish. If only he knew what she wanted. If only he could help.

He found Jaesa sitting in bed, wearing a white patient gown, looking much more herself than when he had last seen her. Vette was sitting in a chair beside Jaesa but jumped to her feet when she saw him arrive.

“Quinn! You’re okay!” She ran to him and gave him an enthusiastic hug. He froze, lifted his arms out of the way and endured the hug as best as he could.

Jaesa’s face lit up as well and questions tumbled out. “Captain Quinn! Have you seen her? I felt her presence briefly, and reached out to her, but she didn’t answer. Is she all right?”

Vette stepped back from Quinn and looked up at him nervously, twisting her hands together expectantly.

Quinn, relieved that Vette had let go of him, bowed his head slightly in greeting to the two women and assumed his military resting stance. “Yes, our party rescued her and the kidnappers have been dispatched. Lord Wrath is still in Lord Vowrawn’s care, but should be returning shortly.”

Jaesa and Vette looked at each other, and then back at Quinn. Jaesa ventured, “So what’s wrong?”

Quinn arched a brow. “Why do you think something is wrong?”

“You look like hell, Quinn,” Vette said. 

Quinn took in a slow breath and let it out, counting to five. Back in the combat room, M had specifically said that she trusted him to take care of these two young women, and until she returned he would make every effort not to shoot them. “I assure you that everything is under control. I apologize for my appearance but I was unable to change my uniform after the battle. Now, Lord Vowrawn himself has asked that we pretend that nothing is out of the ordinary. In fact, Lord Wrath and I will likely make a casual trip into Kaas City later this afternoon.”

Vette nodded. “Oh right, in case the bad guys told people they got M. This way they’ll look like dopes.”

Quinn thought for a moment, trying to make sense of her Republic slang. “Yes… as you say. Now, I must get properly attired if I’m to act the part of a relaxed but dutiful spouse.” He bowed his head slightly, and then went to his quarters. 

When he left the med bay Vette said, “He looks all crazy but he seems like he’s taking it pretty well.”

Jaesa shook her head. “I can feel his emotions. He’s crushed with guilt and grief. I fear something terrible has happened."

 

 

Once he got to his and M’s room, Quinn tore off his clothing and armor and angrily threw it all on the floor. He got into the shower, hoping the force of the water against his head would drown out the sound of his wife’s agonized cries. It didn’t. All he could think was that she was reliving her assault, and calling for him, and he hadn’t been there to save her from those men. He felt crushed with guilt, and he couldn’t help her.

After his shower, Quinn got dressed wearily, and pulled a comb through his freshly washed hair. He sat on the bed, his hands in his lap, and looked at the ruined gear he’d left on the floor. He thought of M and her teasing and decided he’d leave the mess there in her honor until she got home. Perhaps disorder would cheer her up. As he was pulling on his boots the door chimed; it was 2V-R8. “Sir, there is a delivery for you.”

Quinn stood and walked to his desk, punching the vidlink to the hangar door. “This is Captain Quinn.”

A young capped workman with two large crates stood by the hangar door. “Uh… I’ve got this delivery for you?” The workman looked into the camera lens. It was Arlos.

Quinn’s heart jumped. “Of course, come through.” He went to the ship entrance to greet Arlos. Arlos pushed the crates up the ramp and once inside hurried to open the biggest box. Inside was a medical droid curled around M. She was wrapped in a white patient gown and blanket. The bruises and cuts he’d seen earlier were much improved, and she appeared to be sleeping peacefully in the cushions arranged for her within the embrace of the droid. Quinn thought she looked like an angel.

Arlos pulled off his cap and moved to assist Quinn. “Lord Vowrawn’s medical droid here said she was stabilized and should have woken up. Lord Vowrawn thought she might wake up if she were closer to you.” 

Quinn gathered M in his arms. “What if she had woken up en route?”

Arlos shrugged, “She didn’t.”

The medical droid added in its characteristically low soothing voice, “I was closely monitoring her condition, Captain. She was in no danger.”

Quinn shook his head angrily and took M to the med bay, followed closely by Arlos and Vowrawn’s medical droid. Upon seeing her, Vette jumped up to activate the power on the second med bay bed. Quinn gently placed M on the bed and Vette smoothed her gown and drew a sheet over her. With the two beds in the small med bay occupied, space was limited. Jaesa offered, “I can go back to my quarters to rest so you’ll have room to work. Or I could stay and help heal her-”

“That is not necessary,” Quinn replied brusquely. He was still leery of the Jedi and preferred to avoid her interference. “I appreciate your offer, but you are still recovering and I predict Lord Wrath will want you here when she awakens.” 

He hooked up some basic scanners and was relieved to see M’s vitals were stable as promised. It appeared M’s time in the kolto tank had done much to help her injuries, although she still had a fair amount of diffuse damage throughout her body. She would need more in-depth scans if she didn’t awaken. If she woke she would surely be able to help heal herself. He wondered if the diffuse injury might be due to the electrical burns and gave her another strength booster. 

The medical droid beeped a few times while hooking up to the shipboard systems and then said, “I can take over from here, Captain Quinn.”

Quinn resented the droid’s presence. “I can take care of my wife.”

The droid said patiently, “Lord Vowrawn commanded me to accompany Lord Wrath here and make sure she could convincingly appear healthy in public before nightfall. I will also apply cosmetics to cover any residual facial injuries.”

Quinn didn’t like it, but he nodded and stepped out of the way. He willed his wife to wake up with all his might. It didn’t work. 

Arlos peeked in the room. “What’s left of her gear and weapons are in the other crate. I should go, because, you know, I’m supposed to be just a port worker. Oh, but Lord Vowrawn told me to give you this.” He handed Quinn a data chip. “He said to tell you it’s private; for your eyes only.”

Quinn nodded.

Arlos shifted uncomfortably and then said, “Captain Quinn, may I ask you a question? Lord Vowrawn offered positions to me and Tanido on his staff. Do you think we should accept?”

Quinn paused, flattered that Arlos would ask his opinion and annoyed that Vowrawn had offered them a job before Quinn had had a chance to do the same. He answered, “As you have seen from last night’s events, to work for a Sith Lord can be very dangerous in ways for which your training may not have prepared you. However, the rewards can be as equally exciting. Of the Sith Lords I have met, Lord Vowrawn is one of the least capricious. If I were not already firmly attached to Lord Wrath, I would deem Lord Vowrawn a worthy master.”

Arlos nodded. “That makes sense. Thanks.”

Quinn nodded.

Arlos hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “I should also go check on my mates. Tanido sent me a message saying Pierce is plastered and picking fights over at the cantina.”

Quinn shook his head with irritation. “I see Lieutenant Pierce is back to exhibiting his normal behavior.”

Vette giggled.

“Make sure he doesn’t discuss last night’s events with anyone, will you?”

Arlos nodded and took his leave.


	10. Quinn finally reunites with his wife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn's wife is a bit confused after her ordeal

To pass the time, and to cater to Vette and Jaesa’s many questions, Quinn gave an abbreviated account of the events of the previous evening’s rescue mission, leaving out the most sordid details of M’s ordeal. 

When he was finished, Jaesa said, “Do you think this electrical device was keeping her from contacting you or from hearing me? I’ve never heard of such a thing. I think there are drugs you can use to suppress the connection to the Force; they use it in hospitals when a Jedi is delirious.”

“I suspect they were using both drugs and the electrical field to weaken her.”

“Could the effect be permanent?”

Quinn shook his head. “She definitely was using her powers after we freed her.”

“That’s a relief. But you can hear her now?”

Quinn nodded, frowning. “She’s calling my name, screaming in agony. I assume she is having a nightmare.”

“Let me reach out to her.” Jaesa closed her eyes and concentrated. Nothing happened, but Jaesa said, “If she is calling to you, Captain, then you should answer her.”

Quinn looked at M and felt helpless. “Unfortunately, I do not have the training required to do as you suggest.”

Jaesa opened her eyes and chewed her lip. “She’s calling your name and you can hear her. She already opened a channel, maybe you can use that. Concentrate on her voice. Let her know you can hear her.”

Quinn nodded and closed his eyes, thinking, “I’m here.” Nothing happened.

“You guys are making this way too hard,” said Vette. She hopped up from her chair and stood next to M. “Just yell at her like this: Hey M! Wake up! Quinn’s right here, duh!”

Quinn was horrified and moved to stop Vette from bothering his wife, but the screaming in Quinn’s head dropped off for a moment. Quinn hesitantly pushed Vette aside and bent over M. He shook her gently. “Wife! Wake up, I’m here. Stop screaming and wake up! Wife!”

Vette looked at Jaesa. “It’s so weird how he calls her Wife.”

Jaesa shrugged. 

The medical droid said, “Sir, perhaps shaking the patient is not a wise course of action.”

Quinn ignored the droid, shook M again and was finally rewarded with silence in his head. M took a sudden deep breath and her eyes fluttered open. Quinn smiled at her. She was obviously still in distress. “Malavai?”

He caressed her cheek. “You’re safe now. We’re back in your ship.” 

She bolted upright, clutching at him, “Malavai!”

He held her tightly. “I didn’t lose you. I’m sorry I couldn’t come sooner.”

“Malavai!” She kissed his neck and cheek frantically and hugged him, passing her hands over his shoulders and back. She pulled away for a moment and cast her eyes over him, “Is it you? Am I awake?”

Quinn nodded, smiling. “It is me, and you are awake.”

M’s eyes suddenly filled with tears and she hugged him again. “I thought you were dead!”

Quinn frowned, and met eyes with Vette, who shrugged.

“Why would you think I was dead?”

M wept and pressed her face into his neck. “They said they killed you. In the jungle they said they killed you.”

“Who said that?”

“They… the…” She paused and sat back for a moment. “I’m not sure. I didn’t see their faces. But they were definitely Sith.”

“Do you remember that we came to rescue you? Lord Vowrawn was there as well.”

M rubbed her temple. “I… yes, I do remember. I remember now you were there and you were bending over me. Then you gave me my lightsaber. How can it be that he killed you?”

Quinn raised a brow. “My Lord, I’m alive. No one killed me.”

“Why do I think you’re dead?”

“I do not know.”

Jaesa said gently, “Master, we believe…"

M cried out and jumped with surprise. She gaped at Jaesa and then Vette. “You’re alive as well? This is a dream.” She moaned with sorrow. “It’s a dream.” She squeezed her eyes shut and clamped her hands over her ears, shaking her head.

Malavai took her hands firmly in his own and drew her against him. “You are awake, Wife. You’re safe now and we’re all alive.”

M opened one eye and peered at Vette. Vette waved uncertainly at her and said, “Yay?”

Jaesa wetted her lips and said, “Master, after they took you away from me they prevented you from accessing the Force using drugs and electric shocks. Perhaps they also gave you interrogation drugs to confuse you.”

Quinn nodded. “That’s very possible.” He stroked M’s back and she seemed to relax slightly.

Vette asked, “But why would those guys say we were dead, Quinn? I don’t get it.”

M closed her eyes again and murmured, “To torment me. They said all of you were dead. They did their best to torture and humiliate me as much as possible. They were trying to make me afraid but it just fueled my rage. They would have been wiser to kill me.” She clutched Quinn’s back, wrinkling the material of his jacket.

Quinn stroked her back gently. “They were clearly overconfident. Do you remember that you killed them all?”

“I was extremely angry. I killed everyone. I killed everything. Everything just… died.”

Quinn looked at Jaesa with pride, “You should have seen her. She was magnificent, even injured and drugged she moved like lightning, slaughtering everyone who was foolish enough to remain.”

Jaesa nodded, frowning, “I’m sure my Master was inspiring.”

Quinn agreed. “Regardless, My Lord, I apologize that you had to endure such desecration.”

M hugged Quinn again and pressed her face against his chest saying, “I don’t care about that. I can hear your heart, Malavai. You’re alive.” 

He held her and chuckled. 

Vette asked, “Quinn? You’re laughing. You never laugh.”

Quinn shook his head and drew M close. “I am laughing because I heard her calling my name in her nightmare. I foolishly thought it was because she was being assaulted in her dream. That she needed me.” He looked down at M and said, “I apologize for underestimating you, My Lord.”

M quietly said into his chest, “I always need you, Quinn.”

He kissed the top of her head. “You honor me, My Lord.”

Vette laughed. “Well that’s about as close to a lovey dovey conversation Quinn will ever have.”

Quinn raised a brow at her, which made her laugh more.

Jaesa cleared her throat. “If everything is well, and you are feeling up to it, Master, we are supposed to go on an outing before nightfall.”

M drew back from Quinn shakily and looked from Jaesa to Quinn. “Explain.”

Quinn explained.

 

* * *

 

M and Quinn strolled hand-in-hand through the shopping plaza in Kaas City. The air was cool and the shadows were long. Overhead, lightning flickered in the ever-present dense clouds of Dromund Kaas, and Quinn was reminded of a time he’d walked with his father, holding his hand, in these very streets thirty years ago. He’d only been a child then, and hadn’t experienced hardship. Quinn suddenly ached to be that child again, with no responsibilities on his shoulders.

He glanced behind him and saw Jaesa walking cautiously on high alert. Overlooking the plaza on a bench near the bank Belara lounged languidly, laughing and chatting with a smiling Tanido but watching over them. With so many eyes on him and his wife, he should have been at ease.

But Quinn had never felt so vulnerable. Surely whoever had plotted M and Vowrawn’s death would be angry about their failure. He hoped they wouldn’t be so foolish as to attack in the light of day, but M was still very weak now that her rage had subsided. He was also even angrier with Pierce than usual. Pierce was evidently so inebriated that the local security force had thrown him into the Kaas City drunk tank. Quinn had to send Vette to drag him back to the ship before he shamed the crew even more. Quinn could have used Pierce and Vette to help guard his wife, but Pierce had sabotaged him again. This time there would be consequences for the Lieutenant, regardless of M’s wishes.

Quinn glanced at M; she was wincing as she walked, not paying attention to her surroundings, and squeezing his hand with desperation. He was pleased to have his wife back, of course, but he was angry that they had to play this game. She was obviously still in pain, and she was masking a limp, just barely. But for the sake of her future safety and the political stability of the Empire, he played along. He made a conscious effort not to grind his teeth with frustration.

As soon as they’d passed through Kaas City’s gates, M had taken him to a jeweler and commissioned a ring for him to mirror her own; thankfully he’d talked her out of buying him a bracelet by invoking the Imperial military dress code. She had kept his hand tight in her grip the entire time, and it was starting to ache. 

Now M wanted to look at some new armor, as her favorite gear had been ruined during her kidnapping. As they ambled toward the armor merchants a group of young off-duty Imperial officers walked toward and around them. One of them bumped into M, apologized and moved on. M stopped in her tracks, frozen and trembling.

“My Lord?”

M’s face drained of color and she squeezed his hand so hard he winced. “Quinn?”

“I’m here, My Lord. Did that man injure you?”

“What?” She turned to look at him in confusion.

“Did that man who ran into you. Did he hurt you?”

M began trembling violently. “Malavai?” She put her hands over her face. “Malavai?”

Quinn grabbed her shoulders and shook her slightly. “I’m here. My Lord? Wife? Are you injured?”

She blinked up at him, bewildered. “You’re alive?”

“Yes, Wife. I’m right here.”

She clutched at his arm. “Please, Malavai, let’s go back to the ship.”

He pulled her over to a bench, sat her down, and looked her straight in the eye and whispered urgently, “My Lord, if you are in severe pain, we will go back. But if you could stay here with me another quarter of an hour it would be very beneficial. We don’t want your enemies to believe you are weak.”

She nodded and he sat down next to her, and put his arm around her. “You’re right, of course, Quinn.” She leaned against him and seemed to relax somewhat. “I’m just tired.” He reached in his satchel and pulled out some sweet berries he’d brought from the ship. 

“Have some of these, My Lord. You’ll feel better.”

She took the berries and ate them quietly. Quinn glanced around the plaza and met eyes with Jaesa briefly, but no one else appeared to be paying attention. He had promised Lord Vowrawn to stay in the plaza for at least an hour. M had been unusually subdued since they’d left the ship, but he had assumed it was because of her injuries. This display of fearfulness was very odd. He hoped it was just some residual effect of the drugs she’d been given.

After a few minutes, M gathered herself and stood up, holding his hand again. “Let’s go look at that gear. I want something new to wear.”

Quinn nodded, “Of course. I believe you’ve earned it, My Lord,” and followed her to the vendor gallery.


	11. Quinn gets into a fight with Pierce

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn and Pierce finally come to blows... and little Vette has to stop them from killing each other?

A short time later, M was clutching a parcel of new gear like a little girl with a new toy. She was tired, and they were headed back to the ship. Quinn was relieved she had composed herself, but wouldn’t feel truly relaxed until they were safely onboard the Fury. 

When they finally boarded the Fury they found that Vette had indeed managed to drag Pierce back home although he was still roaring drunk. He was crashing around the crew quarters and cursing out Vette, Quinn and the universe in general. When he spotted Quinn and M, he staggered towards them unsteadily, brushing off Vette’s attempts to restrain him.

“Quinn, you cold-blooded, bootlicking bastard!”

Quinn sighed. “This is not a good time for this-“ He was cut off by Pierce’s right hook and flew backwards. He crashed against a bulkhead and slid to the floor.

M looked down at Quinn aghast. “Pierce! What are you doing?!”

Pierce swayed and pointed at Quinn, who was rubbing his jaw angrily. “He… is a pompous… bureaucratic tosser! It’s his fault!”

Jaesa entered and surveyed the room. “What’s his fault?”

“If it weren’t for him…” he slurred and pointed at Quinn, who was still lying on the floor, “…she wouldn’t have been raped by those Sith bastards and those…” He pointed at M and his eyes filled with drunken tears. “Those bastards!”

There was a long silence. M took a deep breath. Then she straightened her shoulders and said, “I was going to wait until tomorrow to say this, but I will say it now. I am the Emperor’s Wrath. When those men attacked me, they attacked the Emperor. And when Quinn and Pierce freed me they unleashed His power to destroy His enemies. All of those men, and all of their companions, and all of their soldiers, and all of their slaves, and all of their animals and pets are dead and their weapons and droids are smashed. I have had my revenge. We need not discuss it further. I’m tired and I’m going to sleep.” She nodded to herself and quietly withdrew to her quarters.

Everyone silently watched her move down the corridor to her quarters. Once her door swished shut everyone started talking at once. 

Quinn was shaking with anger and shouted, “Pierce, you utter pillock!”

“No, no…” Pierce swayed, “…it’s your fault. How could you let her fall into such an obvious trap? I thought you’re supposed to be a bloody strategist!”

Quinn turned red. “I’ll have you shot for striking a superior!”

Pierce laughed, “Superior? Ha! I’d like to see you try to shoot me, ya toff!”

Vette helped Quinn up asking, “Did she really kill the pets? Were there Nekarr cats there?” but he didn’t seem to hear her.

Quinn straightened his tunic and glowered at Pierce. “You sicken me, Lieutenant. Your complete and utter lack of discipline or insight shames the entire Imperial military.”

“Know what makes me sick, Quinn? The idea of your cold, bloodless hands on her beautiful body. You could never satisfy her the way I do.”

Quinn had had enough. He threw himself at Pierce and they began punching each other with gusto, with Vette trying to break them up while ducking and dodging their blows.

Jaesa watched the proceedings solemnly, turned on her heel, and walked calmly to M’s quarters. She rapped softly on the door and went in.

When she came out a short time later, both men were lying on the floor on opposite ends of the comm room, both bruised and bloody and staring daggers at each other. Vette was standing in the middle of the room with both pistols drawn, one aimed at each man. She was a bit torn and bedraggled herself. 

When she saw Jaesa, she called her over. “Jaesa, where d’ya go? These guys just about killed each other.”

Jaesa raised a brow and looked at the two men with disapproval. Quinn had the makings of a first rate shiner, and Pierce had Quinn’s vibroknife sticking out of his left shoulder. He was looking at it curiously, and poking it with his finger. 

Jaesa took a deep breath. “Gentlemen, I sense that both of you feel guilty about what happened to my Master, and perhaps beating each other up makes you feel better about it, but she has been through a terrible ordeal and you aren’t helping her with your infantile behavior.”

Quinn looked at Jaesa with concern, “You are right of course. I should go to her immediately and apologize…”

Jaesa rolled her eyes. “No, you shouldn’t. You shouldn’t apologize. Just go in there, sit down, shut up, hold her and keep her company. And you,” she pointed at Pierce, “come with me to the med bay and then you are going to bed to sleep it off.” Jaesa crossed her arms and glared at them. “Now!”

Quinn pushed himself to his feet and moved toward his quarters, keeping an eye on Pierce. Pierce didn’t move, but asked, “Can I just sleep here?”

Vette sighed and pulled on Pierce’s right arm. “Come on, big fella. I’ll tuck ya in once we get Quinn’s nerfsticker outta you.”

 

Quinn entered their quarters and found M in bed, turned away from the door. Quinn sat on his side of the bed and kicked off his boots and undressed, throwing his gear on the floor next to the uniform from earlier in the day. Once he was wearing only his Imperial regulation boxer briefs, he slid under the sheets and turned on his side to face her, pulling a pillow under his head. She was watching him.

“Wife?”

“Husband.”

“Are you sure you are well enough to sleep here? I could monitor you more effectively in the med bay.”

“I’m better here. Here with you.”

Quinn paused and thought about what Jaesa had said. “What can I do to help?”

“You’ve already done it by saving me from that camp.” 

“What can I do to help now?”

M sighed. “It would be good to have you by my side. Just stay with me until I’m completely healed.”

He nodded, “Of course.”

“I don’t wish to appear weak to the crew.”

Quinn nodded. “I understand, of course. I had hoped Pierce would remain silent about the details of your… attack.”

“Discretion isn’t his strong point.”

Quinn sighed. “No.”

They looked at each other silently for a long moment. M finally said, “Do I still have your support?”

Quinn gasped, offended. “Of course, My Lord! You dispatched those miscreants in an awe-inspiring fashion. I cannot help but love you more than I already do.”

M digested that. “Malavai, you’re a strange man.”

“How so, My Lord?”

She sighed and shook her head. “Don’t call me lord. Call me by my name.”

“Of course… M.” Quinn swallowed, uncomfortable with the request. 

She smiled tentatively at him. “Why don’t you ever want to say my name?”

Quinn sighed, “I feel it is disrespectful. You are the Emperor’s Wrath. Besides, there are many people who might call you by your given name. Only I have the honor of calling you Wife.”

“Then call me Wife.”

“With pleasure, Wife.” He ran his hand gently down her arm. “My wife.”

M studied his face for a long moment. “Hold me, my husband.”

He held out his arm and she slid into his embrace. She nestled close to him, sighed, and went to sleep.

Quinn found it more difficult to sleep, and contented himself with holding her. He was going over the events in his head, formulating ways to improve security in the future, when M suddenly screamed his name. It startled him so much he jumped. He hit the headboard and the room lights came on. He looked around the room, expecting some intruder. There was none. Then M screamed again and Quinn looked at her. She was fast asleep. He shook her awake, and the screaming in his head stopped. But she looked terrified.

“Malavai?!”

He nodded. “You were having a nightmare.”

“I…” she looked around, “I thought I lost you.”

He shook his head, “You didn’t lose me. I didn’t lose you. No one was lost.”

“Oh.” She hugged him. “I thought you were dead.”

“Wife.”

“Husband.”

“What really happened? Why are you so fearful? What is this dream you’re having? I can hear you calling my name.”

“Dream?”

“Wife.” He caressed her cheek and ran his thumb affectionately along her lower lip. “Listen to me carefully. You were dreaming, and I heard you shouting my name. In my head. Some telepathic link. This is not the first time this has happened.”

M shook her head and murmured to herself in a language Quinn didn’t recognize.

He was utterly bewildered. He watched her for a moment and said gently, “My Lord, that is, Wife, I’m not certain how to proceed. If you were not Sith, I would hope to comfort you and reassure you of your safety. As a Sith… My Lord, I do not wish to insult you.”

M nodded. “It’s… complicated. Jaesa has helped me with some of her Jedi techniques.”

“But, how shall I put this? You seem to derive strength from violence and pain. Are you therefore not upset about your captivity or - ?”

M cut him off, “I do get power from dark emotions: pain, fear, hatred and the like. But I don’t derive pleasure from my own humiliation. That would be… confusing.”

Quinn nodded. “Yes, I suppose if the Sith enjoyed their own suffering they would snuff themselves out before they left Korriban.”

M sighed. 

Quinn nodded, “Then I would like to offer you my support concerning this matter. If you wish to tell me what happened-“

She shook her head emphatically. “What happened has happened. It’s over. I want to forget about it. I just want to sleep. I’m exhausted.”

Quinn tucked her back in. “I apologize, but I cannot sleep. If you will permit me, I’ll do some administrative work at the console in here.”

“Don’t leave.” She seized his arm and pulled him towards her.

He tried to seem reassuring. “I’ll be right over there.” He kissed her hand and then put it under the coverlet.

M nodded and closed her eyes.


	12. Quinn learns the terrible details

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn watches a recording of his wife's assault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has the upsetting record of Quinn's wife's sexual assault and torture. I've done my best to put all of that in italics so that you can skip it if you find that sort of thing upsetting. But I think it is necessary for Quinn's interpretation of his wife's behavior to make sense.

Quinn felt shaken by M’s continued and unprecedented fearfulness, and thought he should restore normalcy to the room. After picking up the laundry on the floor and straightening the room to his usual standards, Quinn pulled on a light robe and slid into his desk console’s chair. He fitted an earpiece to listen to his messages, and as he scanned the mail he remembered the chip Vowrawn had sent through Sergeant Arlos. He’d been putting off looking at it, which shamed him. He was not himself; this business with M had thrown him off his usual routine. He had to pull himself together if he was to be an effective officer.

He pulled the chip out and looked at it. It was timestamped from earlier in the day. He slid it into the desk monitor.

It was a holovid. There was no message from Vowrawn or preamble other than the vid label “Surveillance Camera 503”. The recording showed three male Sith approaching a fourth, all wearing dark masks and armor. The fourth one had an unconscious M slung over his shoulders, her wrists and ankles bound in durasteel. Quinn sucked in a breath; he recognized the Sith. This was surely a recording of M’s ordeal.

He wanted to know what she’d endured, but he didn’t know if he could bear to watch, even knowing she was safe now. In the recording the Sith greeted each other and the fourth dumped M unceremoniously on the ground. Quinn mentally named the Sith men One, Two, Three and Four; Sith One leaned against a nearby tree and the other three surrounded M’s prone body. Quinn paused the recording for a moment to gather himself, and then let it run.

 

_  
Three said, “I trust you got here without incident?”_

_Four said, “No one saw me.”_

_Two cut in, “I tagged the Jedi.”_

_Three nodded. “Good. Shame about Quinn.”_

_Four said, “Won’t make a difference. We go with the backup plan. Follow my lead.”_

_Three shrugged. “I’ll get my chance I guess.” He prodded M with the tip of his boot. “When will she wake up?”_

_Four said, “Any time. I gave her the full dose. And I have this.” He held up a slave’s shock collar. He knelt and attached it to the back of M’s neck. He gave it a test jolt. M’s body jerked but she didn’t make a noise or react._

_The three sat on a bench near M’s body and chatted, amiably for Sith Lords, and threw rocks and branches at M’s body using their telekinetic powers, as casually as if they were skipping stones. Sith One still had his arms folded and was more watchful of the surroundings than his companions._

 

 

Quinn flinched each time his wife was hit, but he listened carefully, hoping to glean some clue as to the motivations of the kidnappers. And he was curious as to what their plan had been regarding him. He was forced to watch for another twenty minutes before something happened.  
 _  
_

 

_One suddenly said, “She’s awake.”_

_M was still lying motionless on the ground, but Three got up and bent down to grab M’s chin and look at her face. “We know you’re awake.”_

_M opened her eyes and stared at Three with hatred, but said nothing. He slapped her hard with his free hand._

_Four said, “Not going to say hello, is she?” and gave M a prolonged shock. She jerked painfully, but made no sound._

_Three stood over her and sighed. “Do we really have to keep her alive?” He gave her a vicious kick in the stomach, which evoked a gasp, but no cry._

_Four said, “She won’t be much good as bait if she’s dead.”_

_Three shook his head. “Alive, and identifiable, but he didn’t say anything about undamaged. How long do we have?”_

_Two said, “I doubt Vowrawn will get people here for several hours. We couldn’t make the trail here too obvious.”_

_M spoke softly, but there was menace in her words, “I am the Emperor’s Wrath. To assault me is to assault the Emperor. You will all die.”_

_Three grunted and roughly grabbed M’s face again, saying, “We’re not afraid of some ghost story about the Emperor. Everyone knows he’s been dead for a hundred years.” He looked back at Four and said, “She’s not that hard on the eyes. I might have a go.”_

_One shook his head, “Don’t waste your energy.”_

_Three laughed, “Oh, this won’t be a waste.” He bent to free one of M’s ankles and then pulled out a dagger and started cutting M’s armor and clothing off._

_She hissed at him, “I will kill you.” Three punched her again, hard. She shook her head, dazed, and spit out blood._

 

 

Quinn found himself holding his breath, furious but mentally begging Three not to touch his wife. His fists were balled so hard he could feel his perfectly manicured nails biting into his skin.

 

_  
Four got up and ambled over, “She isn’t very friendly, is she?”_

_One was obviously bored. He said in a matter-of-fact tone, “She isn’t afraid of you. She’s expecting a rescue.”_

_Four laughed and bent down with his mask near M’s face. “Sorry, no rescue. We killed your apprentice and your crew. You should have heard that little Twi’lek girl begging for mercy at the end, at least until we broke her skinny neck. Pathetic.”_

_For the first time M looked unsure of herself, but she growled, “You lie.”_

_Three pressed the issue, “I did your dirt captain husband myself. Got his head clean off with my saber right in the middle of a sentence. What a blowhard. It was hilarious. You should have seen the blood spray.”_

_Four laughed, “Yeah, it was massive.”  
M narrowed her eyes and they glowed a dim red._

_Four admonished, “Ah ah ah… you aren’t allowed to use the Force,” and he shocked her. He left the power running until the glow faded from her eyes. When he finally stopped she dropped her head to the ground, panting._

_Three started opening his trousers, “No, really, Wrath, it’s true. I killed your pathetic, sniveling weakling human consort. I should have brought his head with me to show you, but we were running short on time.”_

_As Three ran his hands over M’s struggling body, Two said, “There’s no escape for you, Wrath. Your people are all dead and once Vowrawn gets here we’re doing you both in.”_

_Three grabbed M’s hips and pulled her up against his body. “I say we don’t kill her right away. I wouldn’t mind keeping her as a slave. She’d look good scrubbing my boots.” He grinned at his comrades. “I’ve never done a Sith before like this.” He paused to adjust himself and thrust into M. She grunted and struggled, trying to thwart him. He stretched his hand towards her neck and she choked and coughed until finally she closed her eyes and he took her._

 

 

Quinn boiled over in anger watching the miniature scene playing out on his desk. When Three began to rape his wife, he wanted to stop the recording and catch his breath, but he felt he owed it to M to see it through with her. This intense degree of possessiveness was a new sensation for him and he felt like crying and screaming at the same time. It was extremely unpleasant.

 

 

_Three and Four continued abusing M, first raping her and then taking turns to beat and electrocute her. After the protest she’d made when Three first put hands on her, she made no other sound. She kept her eyes fixed on the ground and didn’t struggle._

_Three was annoyed she wasn’t reacting to his sadistic treatment and he egged her on. “I guess she likes it. She hasn’t complained much.” He bent over her and taunted, “I guess you didn’t know what a real man felt like.”_

_Two jeered, “You say that as though you’re a real man.”_

_Three cursed at Two and finished his business with M. He spat on her and walked over to stand next to One._

_Four looked at Two, “Aren’t you going to have a go? It isn’t often you get to put it to the ‘Emperor’s Wrath’._

_“Give me the collar control.” Four tossed the shock remote to him and Two sauntered over to M. “She looks like she likes it rough.”_

_Two took his turn, shocking her while he pleasured himself with her body, evoking the cheers of his companions. Four left briefly and returned with a half-dozen men in Imperial gear who seemed only too eager to take part in the assault. Quinn took grim satisfaction that one of the men was the Special Forces officer Quinn had shot in the temple. Quinn only wished he’d made the man’s death more agonizing._

_Three watched the proceedings while pacing back and forth in agitation and finally walked out of frame. He came back moments later with a heavy branch. He motioned the others out of the way and swung the branch with all his power at M’s right leg. When the blow connected the leg broke with an audible snap. Now M did cry out but only once. Three laughed, “Knew I could get her to scream.”_

 

 

Quinn paused the recording for a moment and looked at his hands. They were bloodied where his nails had cut his flesh. He wiped them on his robe and took deep breaths but it didn’t help the sense of panic. He let the recording run and prayed it would be over soon.  
 _  
_

 

_One pushed himself off the tree he was leaning against and approached M, motioning the others away. He lifted her off the ground by her neck, and then pushed a gag between her lips. He held her gaze and said, “I’ve been rewarded with your ship. I like the holoportrait niche in your comm room, but I’ll have to get the place cleaned. I’m afraid the room is splattered with your captain’s blood.” M groaned and closed her eyes. He dropped her and said to the others, “This is the Emperor’s Wrath? Pathetic.” He sauntered away as Three kicked her in her injured leg._

 

 

When Three kicked M’s leg, and Quinn heard her muffled cry, he felt as if he was going to vomit. Although he couldn’t pretend to know the depth of her utter despair; he finally understood why she had been so convinced of his demise. And he made a mental note to check the comm room again for a surveillance device; M had that holoportrait of Quinn’s dead father Rymar installed only a few weeks prior to their arrival on Dromund Kaas.  
 _  
_

 

_After an agonizingly long time, the Sith got bored of the game with their silent victim and ordered the soldiers to leave. They dragged M over to the prisoner cell where Quinn had found her. They put a conductive plate under her and once they had her bound into position they electrified the cage._

_The Sith then chatted between themselves, ignoring M, who was convulsing from the electricity they were running through her. They continued to chat and laugh until the two female Sith Quinn had seen at the battle ran into the clearing. The first one said, “They’re coming, call the others.” The second woman looked curiously at M’s near-naked form in the cage and started arguing with Three about her. Evidently the two were a couple. Four broke the argument up saying, “Not now, lovebirds. Spread out.”_

 

 

The Sith melted into the jungle and to his relief Quinn watched himself rescue his wife. He let the recording run until he saw himself carry her out of frame in his arms.

When he shut the playback off Quinn looked at the time. Over two hours had passed. Two hours of watching the woman he loved and respected suffer degrading humiliation and torture. He buried his face in his hands. She had conducted herself admirably, and he was proud of her bravery. But that did not alter the fact that due to his negligence she had gone through a terrible ordeal. He wouldn’t have thought seeing the truth would have such a strong effect on him; he felt panicked and enraged.

When a hand closed on his shoulder, he startled and cried out in alarm. He turned in his chair and found M standing behind him.

“My Lord! I thought you were sleeping.”

“You woke me up. You were making noises and… saying things.”

He grasped her hand and kissed it. “I didn’t realize. I cannot apologize enough for waking you.”

She looked at him curiously.

He paused and then asked, “How long have you been standing there?”

“Since the point when that tosser broke my leg.”

Quinn’s heart sank. “I… Lord Vowrawn sent me the recording without explanation of its contents. You shouldn’t think I wanted to see… that is, I’m not a voyeur or a sadist.”

M nodded and said softly, “You don’t have to apologize for wanting to know what happened, Malavai.”

Quinn kissed her hand again and held it tightly, frowning at the blood on his own hands.

M followed his gaze. “You’re hurt.”

“It’s nothing. Please, go back to bed. I’ll sit with you. May I sit with you?”

“I’d like to take a shower. Would you come to keep me company? It’s ridiculous, but I’d prefer not to be alone. I… I want to be able to see you.”

Quinn nodded, “Of course, My Lord. I’m gratified to be of assistance.”

M dropped her gown and padded naked to their tiny private bath. He followed her, his eyes drawn to the many bruises and marks remaining on her skin. Even time in the kolto tank wouldn’t erase every blemish immediately. She had a gel splint on the broken leg and she was still favoring it as she walked. Seeing her now, so marked, so injured, was gut wrenching. He wanted to break something, to kill someone, anything.

Quinn put his shorts and the blood-smeared robe in the refresher, washed his hands, and sat down on the small warmed sauna bench adjacent to the cramped shower. M started the water jet and pushed her face into the stream of steaming water. She picked up a large sponge and began washing herself. In the bright light of the bath, the green and purple discolorations were even more apparent. Quinn couldn’t take his eyes off of the markings around her neck and mouth and wrists, and when he looked at her body he didn’t see her savage beauty, only the places where those men had put their hands and befouled her. He felt miserable and helpless, but at least he could keep her company.

He finally worked up the courage to ask, “Would you like me to wash your back?”

“That would be nice.” She nodded gratefully and he took the sponge from her hands. He turned her carefully and ran it gently back and forth across her back, cringing as the sponge passed over the welts and bruises.

He asked softly, “I’m not hurting you?”

“No. You can scrub harder.” She let out a long miserable sigh and said, “I don’t feel as though I will ever be clean again.”

Quinn had never felt so useless in his life, but he turned her around and gently ran the sponge over her neck, shoulders and down her arms. “Will you heal yourself?”

M paused and said finally, “I… already have a bit. I’m tired.”

He nodded and asked, “What can I do to help?”

“Just stay with me.”

“Always, my wife. Forever.” He carefully kissed her forehead.

M smiled at him and took the sponge back. She resumed scrubbing herself and Quinn rinsed off and sat back down on the bench. Several times she paused and began to say something, and then stopped herself.

As Quinn sat miserably watching her through the steam, and contemplating the water pouring down her mottled, abused skin, he wondered if she would want to make love ever again. Whether or not he should probably always ask permission to touch her. He knew whatever her wishes were, he would honor them faithfully, of course.

This rage he felt over her attack was unprecedented. Oh, he had been angry before, very angry, but never like this on behalf of another person, and certainly not over a woman. Even his jealousy of Pierce was more competitive than possessive.

Quinn watched a soap bubble make its way slowly down M’s back and he sighed. He hadn’t realized his attachment to her was so deep or emotional. He knew he idolized her and was grateful for her mercy towards him, of course. But he’d thought that his desire to follow her to the death defined his love. He’d told her long ago that he loved her. He’d thought he was being accurate about his emotions. But surely this irrational obsession was beyond the normal limits of spousal affection? He was thirty-seven, not some lovesick child of fourteen.

And visceral possessiveness of any Sith lord was surely unwise. Sith were famous for their infidelity and moodiness. He would only end up dead or broken if he were to be this enamored. Wouldn’t he? He caught her eye briefly and she smiled at him. Seeing her smile filled him with a contentment he’d never experienced before he met her. He supposed that of any woman or commander he’d ever met, she was surely worth the risk of dismemberment, execution, or worse, heartbreak.

Finally M shut off the water and decided to forgo the air drier. Instead she grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself. She reached her hand out to Quinn and he took it.

Quinn led M back to the main room and she handed him her towel and climbed into bed. He wrapped the towel around his waist and sat on the side of the bed, pulling the sheets up for her and tucking her in. When he started to rise, M grabbed his hand. “Malavai?”

Quinn took her hand in both of his and sank back down on the bed. “Wife?”

“Do you still want me now that you’ve seen that recording?”

Quinn frowned at her, “You were not at fault for what happened. If anything I am to blame for allowing you to go to that rendezvous without proper escort.”

“That’s not what I asked. Those men… you saw them… defile me. Someone like you might see that as damage that cannot be undone.”

Quinn shook his head. “Your question does me little credit, My Lord. Of course I want you. Your glory and power supersedes anything those villains tried to do to diminish you.”

M searched his eyes. “What if I become pregnant? What then?”

Quinn squeezed her hand, “Vowrawn’s medical droid addressed that issue. Do not be concerned; you will not bear a bastard child.”

M nodded, relieved.

Quinn said softly, “I would like to hold you again, if you would permit it.”

She nodded and Quinn enfolded her in his arms, amazed as he always was that someone as exalted as she would allow him to be so intimate. To share such loving tenderness with a Sith Lord was unprecedented, surely.

She whispered, “I’m so sorry, Malavai. I didn’t fight them as much as I should have.”

“They rendered you helpless, Wife. You were drugged and shock collared; you could not have fought them effectively. You would only have been injured more.”

“I thought they’d killed you.”

Quinn kissed her ear, “They lied.”

“I didn’t care what happened to me when I thought you were dead, Malavai. I didn’t care if they used me. I didn’t fight them because I didn’t care.”

“If I had only insisted on accompanying you…”

“Malavai, they would have killed you.”

“I disagree. Willsaam and I are practiced in guarding you and each other…”

“No, Malavai. They were expecting you. They were angry you weren’t there. They had to improvise and they had me call you. They wanted you.” She heaved a sigh. “I’ve been going over it all in my head. I realize now they wanted Jaesa there to be a witness who would lead Lord Vowrawn to the ambush, but they were planning to kill you in front of me. You were supposed to die today, Malavai.” Her voice trailed off.

 

Quinn sat back and digested her words. Then he said emphatically, “I regret I did not kill all of them myself. A hundred times over. I regret they died so easily.”

M searched his eyes. “I suppose I must love you very much. The thought of your death was… is… unbearable to me.”

Quinn nodded, “I’ve discovered I have a similar affliction. While you were missing I was terribly distraught. Additionally, knowing, that is, seeing what happened to you makes me enraged beyond reason.”

M swallowed deeply and added, “And I didn’t realize how you risked yourself until I saw the recording of my rescue. But I would have died if you hadn’t come to find me.”

Quinn squeezed M’s hand and leaned forward intently. “If you were dead then my life would lose purpose.” He hesitated and then added, “I hope this obsession I have with you is not a weakness you find unappealing.”

M smiled broadly for the first time since her rescue. “No, I find it extremely appealing.”

Quinn let out a breath. “That is a relief to hear, My Lord.”

“Malavai…”

“Yes?”

She sobered and lay back on her pillow. “If we have children, they will be at risk from my Sith rivals.”

Quinn frowned, “Then I will have to improve my ability to protect my family. I will begin drawing up preparations immediately.” He paused and looked at her. “Not ‘if’ we have children, but ‘when’.”

She nodded. “Come into bed with me. I would like to feel you holding me again.”

“Of course, My Lord.”

He slid into bed again, and although he still couldn’t sleep, he made no attempt to get up when she finally drifted off. He found that holding her against his body helped lessen his emotional distress about her ordeal. So he dutifully held her the remainder of the night. She had no more nightmares.


	13. Quinn gets a lesson in resisting the light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn's wife is hurt worse than he knows, but she still wants him to continue his lessons.

The next morning Quinn insisted that M remain in bed to recover. M protested, but he insisted, and to be honest she didn’t mind hiding out in her room for a day under the luxurious killik silk sheets Quinn had given her to celebrate their marriage. She felt unaccountably frightened to leave their bed, although she would never tell him. Quinn had made arrangements such that she was never alone, taking turns with Jaesa and Vette to keep her company. Vette had just left her quarters and Jaesa entered. M smiled and put down the datapad she’d been looking at.

“You don’t have to babysit me, Jaesa.”

Jaesa smiled back, “Oh no, I have to. Quinn is beside himself over you. He’s on a rampage; this is probably the safest spot in the ship!” 

“I know.”

“He’s taking it out on Pierce.”

M raised a brow. “Pierce deserves it. He was very drunk last night.”

Jaesa nodded solemnly and sat down on the chair Vette had left beside the bed. “It’s none of my business, and I don’t know if I should tell you…”

M studied her. “What is it?”

“Well, two things, really. The first is about Lieutenant Pierce. Quinn handcuffed him to his bunk and requisitioned a portable detention cell and an interrogation table.”

M nodded. “This morning Quinn told me he wants to execute Pierce for punching him.”

Jaesa looked stricken. “Will he?”

M sighed. “Those two are like children fighting over a toy. No one is going to be executed, although I might have to let Quinn punish him somehow.”

“But those tables are horrible.”

M sighed, “Don’t worry about Pierce; I told Quinn to send back the table. More likely Pierce will have to peel vegetables in the galley for a month.”

Jaesa sighed with relief. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“Actually, that might be rather sexy. I wouldn’t mind watching Pierce standing bare-chested over a steaming pot of stewfruit.”

“Master!”

“What?”

Jaesa rolled her eyes.

M grinned; it was so easy to shock her apprentice. “What’s the other thing you wanted to ask?”

Jaesa twisted her hands anxiously. “Well, are you all right, Master? Your presence, I can’t feel it.”

M sobered and rubbed her forehead. “I find your meditations are helping me cope with all this. I was rather badly injured; maybe that is what you are feeling.”

Jaesa’s face fell. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to protect you, Master. And they used me to make you surrender to them, to make you go with them.”

M waved her hand dismissively, “I’m just glad you weren’t killed. You’re likely to be my only apprentice who won’t try to murder me.”

Jaesa frowned in confusion, but bowed her head. “Thank you Master. I think.”

“Now, what’s our next move?”

Jaesa blinked. “Next move? For what?”

“To root out the Revanites.”

Jaesa shifted uncomfortably. “Surely we won’t betray them? They aren’t hurting anyone.”

“You recognized Ladra?”

Jaesa nodded. “I saw her at the Revanite camp when you sent me there to offer my service.”

“I don’t know if Vowrawn knows she is a Revanite, but of the Dark Council members, he is certainly the most open to using Revanites if they are useful.”

“She seems very much a Sith to me.”

“She has her own ideas about what Revan represents. Or she may be a mole; you never know.”

Jaesa thought that over and then said, “Master, I think we should go to Nar Shaddaa; I’ve felt a presence there that straddles the light and dark, perhaps a Grey Jedi.”

“Very well.” M shifted and grunted as pain shot up her back.

Jaesa asked, “Master, why are you still wounded? Surely you could’ve healed yourself by now?”

M sighed, “It’s very odd, Jaesa. When I killed those men, I was filled with rage and hate and… something else. I think it might have been the power of the Emperor, because it was such a foreign sensation. I felt different, as though I could feel someone else, or somewhere else, or, I don’t know, everything else. I can’t explain it. I lost myself in the battle, and when I recovered my wits I was surrounded by carnage.”

Jaesa frowned.

M leaned forward and spoke softly. “Jaesa, those men I killed, they weren’t cut down. They were torn apart. Their bodies exploded. And not just men, Jaesa, but animals, droids, everything, all dead. Disintegrated. Even the plants were brown and withered.”

Jaesa hissed with anxiety. “I feel your fear, Master.”

“What if Quinn had been at my side? Would I have awoken to discover his body strewn over the jungle?”

Jaesa shook her head, bewildered.

M rested back and sighed. “When they were all dead, and I saw there was no one and nothing left to kill, I felt drained and passed out before I could heal myself completely. Even now I feel as weak as a baby. I can’t seem to work up the hatred or rage to mend my body, despite what happened. I just feel… numb. It doesn’t make sense.”

They sat in silence for several minutes. Finally Jaesa asked, “Can you use the light side to heal yourself?”

“I can’t feel the light or dark side at all. All I feel is pain; I’m hoping the pain will help me reconnect with the dark side. Quinn told me I was psychically calling him while I was asleep; I can’t have lost all my power.”

They sat quietly for several more minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally Jaesa asked, “Do you think the Emperor knows what happened? Do you think he knows your true heart?”

“He surely must.”

“But he still wants you as his Wrath?”

“Yes. He orchestrated the entire incident.”

Jaesa sucked in a breath. “Why would he do such a terrible thing?” 

“Perhaps to grant me more power by way of the torture, or to kill his rivals… or both? I don’t know.”

“I must meditate on this.”

M nodded. “Very well.”

Jaesa shook her head and said, “No, first I will heal you, Master.”

“All right.” M pushed her coverlet aside and relaxed back, watching her apprentice. Jaesa concentrated and soon M was bathed in a warm white light.

When Quinn entered M’s room, he found the two of them in deep concentration, both bathed in light. He approached the bed and watched in silence. 

M opened an eye and looked at him, “I’m all right, Quinn. She’s helping me recover.”

“Ah. Then I am pleased I did not shoot her just now when I saw her looming over you.”

“Yes, thank you for that, my darling.”

“I can still shoot Lieutenant Pierce if you’d like, My Lord. Or strangle him. Very slowly.”

M smiled and closed her eyes again, relishing the warm languor evoked by Jaesa’s light side powers. “Maybe later.”

“As you wish, My Lord.”

M said, “Quinn, recall Broonmark and get clearance to leave. We’re going to Nar Shaddaa.”

Quinn look disgusted at the prospect of revisiting Nar Shaddaa, but said, “Yes, My Lord. I shall return later to check on you. Call me if you require anything.”

M looked up at him and said, “Come back soon, my darling.”

“Of course.” Quinn bowed his head and left the room. 

After some time Jaesa leaned back and the light faded. She took a deep breath and pushed her hands through her hair. “Master, you are grievously wounded.”

“Yes, one of those bastards must have been an anatomist. He delighted in slowly crushing my insides piecemeal with the Force to while away the time. I suppose if you plan on killing your victim anyway…”

Jaesa held up a hand. “Not just that, I mean you should be dead, or crippled. How is your heart even beating with such an injury? Maybe that surge of power you experienced healed you in some bizarre way. I’ll need far more time to heal you completely. Perhaps you could spend more time in the kolto tank, or Captain Quinn-”

M interrupted, “That isn’t necessary. We have time to do this ourselves, if you’ll help me.”

“But you’re in terrible pain! You shouldn’t even be alive!”

M shrugged. “It hurts. Vowrawn’s staff patched me up well enough to function.” She looked severely at Jaesa, “You needn’t tell Quinn about any of this; he’s been twittering over me like a worried mother since the moment I awakened.”

“If you think that’s best, Master.” Jaesa shook her head disapprovingly. “Maybe I can get some painkillers from Toovee.”

“Thank you, I’d appreciate that. In the meantime, I’d like you to help me train Quinn to defend against mind control. He told me that Ladra exerted her will upon him. I can’t have that.”

“Yes, Master.”

 

* * *

 

Quinn hesitated before M’s stateroom and wondered again, as he always did, if he should knock. Every time he knocked before entering, M chided him for doing so, saying it was his room as well as hers. He tensed and opened the door without announcing himself. 

He found M and Jaesa amiably chatting, sharing a platter of fruit and snacks that Vette had fetched from the Kaas City market that morning. M beckoned him over.

“Come on, Quinn, join us.”

He nodded and stood over them uncertainly. M patted the bed beside her. “Come sit down with me.”

Quinn sat down uneasily next to his wife, and looked at Jaesa. “My Lord, what are you, that is, what would you like me to do?”

M smiled and looked at Jaesa. “He’s good, isn’t he? He always knows when I’m up to something.”

Jaesa nodded demurely, meeting Quinn’s gaze only for a moment and then looking away.

Quinn considered Jaesa for a long moment and then turned to M. He narrowed his eyes at her. “My Lord, you and your apprentice aren’t considering hanging me from the ceiling again, are you? If so, you need to give me more notice so I can assign the crew tasks to occupy themselves until you see fit to free me.”

M looked at Jaesa, and the two of them burst into laughter. M rubbed Quinn’s leg fondly, “No, my darling, I promised I wouldn’t do that again. You’re sweet to be so accommodating.”

Quinn shrugged and said, “I live to serve you, My Lord. If not that, then what can I do for you?”

“I’d like Jaesa to give you a lesson like the ones I’ve given you.” She reached over to the platter of food and pulled out a snack. “Look, Malavai, it’s a holiday crispic!”

Quinn made a face. “You are a very cruel woman. I would prefer to hang from the ceiling.” He held out his wrists. “Go ahead, My Lord, put the binders on me.” 

M beamed at him. “I know! You hate these! It will be perfect!” When he frowned at her she pouted, “Oh, come on, Vette brought all sorts of bland tasteless treats that you love that you can have afterwards.”

Quinn dropped his hands into his lap and straightened his shoulders indignantly. “My Lord, are you suggesting that I would actually refuse your direct order because of my dislike of a pastry? I am affronted.”

Jaesa put her hand over her mouth to hide her smile. 

M solemnly said, “Captain Quinn, on the authority of the Emperor, I order you to allow us to practice mind control defenses with you and this dangerous snack food. It’s a risky mission, but I know you will make the Empire proud.”

Quinn raised a brow and a smile played around his lips. “Very well, My Lord. I shall endeavor to serve with dignity.”

She nodded and handed him the crispic and a cloth napkin. She winked at Jaesa and scooted back in the bed to make more room for him. She patted his back and said, “All right, just as we did.”

“Will you be holding me as you did before, My Lord?” He liked the idea that M would be monitoring Jaesa’s spells. He still didn’t trust the Jedi.

He heard M laugh softly behind him and then felt her arms wrap around his waist. “Of course, my darling.” She rested her cheek against the back of his neck. He felt some of his anxiety recede.

Jaesa looked at Quinn uncertainly. “I’m sorry about what happened before, Captain Quinn.”

Although Quinn felt incredibly uncomfortable with the prospect of Jaesa invading his mind again, he nodded brusquely and said, “I appreciate your apology, but it is unnecessary. Please proceed.”

Jaesa nodded, “First I’ll tell you to take a bite in my normal voice, and then I’ll put progressively more power into my command.”

He nodded. He passed the first command, but with the second, his hand automatically lifted the pie toward his mouth. M put out a hand to stop him. She asked, “What do you feel?”

Quinn frowned. “It is different from your spell, My Lord. A feeling of pleasure, or confidence that I will enjoy the food.”

M said, “Again, Jaesa, the same strength. This time recognize the false feeling.” M let her hand rest on Quinn’s arm. He looked down at it and frowned at the residual bruising on her wrist.

Jaesa repeated, “You want to eat the pie.”

“I want to…” Quinn stopped himself. But he knew M had felt his arm contract in preparation to move and he felt ashamed. “Please, again.” He nodded to Jaesa and tried to concentrate. This time he didn’t move.

Behind him, M said “Again,” but immediately began running her free hand up and down his spine in the way she often did when they made love. He wondered what she was up to but was interrupted by her other hand gripping his arm. 

He blinked and looked at the crispic in his hand. “Ah. An effective strategy, My Lord.”

M said, “You’ll have to be able to resist a Jedi suggestion even when you’re distracted.”

He turned towards M, leaned so his mouth was near her ear and murmured softly, “Wife, I do not believe any force in this galaxy can overcome the distraction I feel with your hands upon me.”

She smiled brightly at him. “You know just what to say to me, Malavai.”

“I do my best.”

He sat up and turned back to Jaesa. “Proceed. Again.”


	14. Everyone wants to kiss Quinn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone wants to kiss Quinn, and Vette and Broonmark think that is hilarious.

The next morning Broonmark reappeared at the ship with an enormous foul-smelling crate containing the spoils of his hunts. Vette refused to let him onboard with the offal and Quinn had to run to prevent the two from coming to blows. In the end they let Broonmark take the meat onboard, but he had to keep it in an airtight crate in cargo stowage where he tended to lurk regardless. Quinn gave 2V-R8 instructions on changing the ship airflow so as to isolate the odor, and then walked briskly to the cockpit.

Pierce was sitting at the weapons console, and he smirked at Quinn as he settled into the pilot’s station. “Captain. Sir.”

Quinn took a deep breath. Last night M assured him once again that she was not sleeping with Pierce and told him to let Pierce resume his duties, if for no other reason than to keep him sober. M had worded the explanation of her relationship with Pierce in such a way that Quinn suspected more than ever that the two had slept together in the past. However, he decided that if she was true to him now, he’d accept the honor of her attentions and he’d try to ignore Pierce. She hadn’t wanted sexual relations last night, but he ascribed that to her recovery and the trauma of her ordeal. He was quite ready to wait as long as it took, provided Pierce didn’t touch her. If Pierce touched her again, he would definitely kill him. Very, very slowly. Quinn had that scenario planned in great detail should the opportunity present itself. 

In any event, Quinn had watched over M last night, and she hadn’t had a nightmare. But he hadn’t slept much and so now he was too tired to deal with Pierce’s attitude. Vette was working at the communications console and said, “We have clearance to leave when you’re ready, Quinn. I mean, Captain Quinn. I mean, Captain.” 

Quinn nodded and accessed the channel. “Dromund Kaas Spaceport Authority, this is Captain Malavai Quinn of _Wrath’s Fury_. Requesting clearance to depart.” He nodded to Vette and she transmitted their encrypted ship ID.  
A voice came back, “You are cleared to depart. Long live the Emperor and His Wrath.”

“Thank you.”

Quinn engaged the downward thrusters and expertly piloted the ship out of the spaceport. Soon the planet was below them and he was calculating the jump to hyperspace. As he activated the hyperdrive, he realized M was standing at his shoulder. 

He turned to her with concern. “My Lord. Are you feeling well enough to be up?” He knew that Jaesa had spent more time with M last night and this morning in healing sessions. He suspected M was hiding more injuries from him, particularly since she wouldn’t allow him to take her back to the med bay, which was infuriatingly only a few meters from their stateroom. It irritated him; he was her medical officer after all. He hoped she was excluding him from her care because her injury was due to some Sith business he wouldn’t understand; no other reason would be acceptable.

M smiled. “I love watching you pilot the ship, Quinn, I didn’t want to miss our departure.”

Pierce snorted, disgusted. 

Quinn smiled, pleased by Pierce’s annoyance. “Thank you, My Lord. But the ship will fly on autopilot for the duration of the jump. Are you feeling stronger? I could scan you in the med bay.”

M shook her head, “It isn’t necessary. I’d like to call the crew to the conference room.”

“As you wish, My Lord.”

He followed her out of the cockpit and into the conference room, and noticed she was holding herself unusually erect and still had a slight limp. He determined he would scan her after the meeting regardless of her wishes. It was preposterous that she was preventing him from doing his job as her medic. Such poor judgment on her part must surely be the result of mental or neurological trauma.

M slid into the seat at the head of the conference table and indicated that Quinn sit beside her. 

Jaesa, Pierce and Vette filed in after Quinn called them on the intercom. Broonmark shuffled in last, sat next to Vette, leaned back in his chair and scratched his furry belly with his dark claws. Quinn thought Broonmark looked even more repellent than usual. Presumably he’d been dining on his gruesome catch, which apparently included Trandoshan and Wookie meat. Quinn briefly imagined Broonmark slurping up the liquefied carrion and then tried very hard not to think about it. Ever again.

M cleared her throat. “I’ve called you all in for two reasons. First, to thank you for your operation to rescue me,” she nodded at Pierce and Quinn, “…and second to address a security concern.”

Pierce frowned and pounded the desk with his fist. M asked, “Pierce? Do you have something to say?”

Pierce blustered, “Look, milord, I realize I was out of line the other night, and I apologize. But if Quinn’s been telling you I can’t keep my mouth shut then it’s a lie. I wouldn’t ever tell tales on you to folks outside the crew.”

There was a brief silence, and then M said, “Captain Quinn has not suggested that you are a security risk, Lieutenant Pierce. However, after the operation you were AWOL and were so drunk that you were arrested by Kaas City security. And as I recall, that evening you punched Captain Quinn in the face without provocation. Am I remembering this correctly?”

Pierce bristled. “Yes, milord.”

“Do not assault him again, Lieutenant Pierce, or I will carry out your execution myself. Regardless of your personal differences you must work together on my crew in a civilized and efficient manner. And you are not to be drunk on duty ever again. Do I make myself clear?”

Quinn watched Pierce carefully. He almost wished Pierce would complain, although the man would be a fool not to realize he had just escaped death due to M’s bizarre predilection towards mercy. Although Pierce had regularly flouted authority during his career, he’d never directly done so with M. Odd. Quinn wondered if he should install surveillance in the crew quarters to monitor Pierce’s movements. If so he would need to come up with a careful plan of action when… that is, if he caught Pierce having carnal relations with his wife. 

Pierce met M’s eyes and nodded. “Understood, milord.”

“Very well.” She turned back to the group in general. “Now, the security risk I refer to is the susceptibility of the crew to mental suggestion from Sith or Jedi practitioners. Broonmark, this does not include you. Your species is evidently resistant to mind control.”

Broonmark nodded and belched, a deep, bubbly belch that made the end of his proboscis wobble. Quinn groaned with disgust.

Vette, who was directly in the path of his burp, began fanning the air in front of her. She asked, “I once saw a Jedi make a guy do all kinds of weird things. You’re saying we can defend against that stuff?”

M nodded. “But it takes time, practice and concentration. We have an incredible opportunity on this ship, because we have a Jedi onboard who is a master at mind control.”

Jaesa waved her hands in protest. “But I’ve never used it on any of you, I swear.”

Pierce leaned forward and peered at Jaesa. “How do we know you haven’t?”

M hastened to intervene, “I would be able to sense if she were using her power on you. Similarly, if I used my power to influence your mind she would be able to tell. Unfortunately if we weren’t present when some other person attacked you in this manner, we wouldn’t know.”

Pierce said, “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to go running off some cliff or croaking of terror in a fight, but how is any of that a security risk? Seems more like a strategic risk to me.”

Jaesa replied, “I could plant a suggestion like, ‘The next time Vette goes to sleep, smother her, steal her ID chip and use it to send the ship’s location to Republic Command on her commlink channel.”

Vette folded her arms, “I’m gonna start locking the door when I sleep.”

Jaesa smiled at her, “It was just an example.”

Pierce leaned back but looked unconvinced. “Seems low intensity to me. Told you I had training in black ops. I don’t think I’m a risk for something like that.”

M nodded, “There’s an easy way to find out.”

Pierce shook his head, folded his arms and smiled at M. “Like to see you try and make me follow some command I don’t want to follow. Ain’t gonna happen.”

M raised a brow. “Are you challenging me, Pierce?”

Quinn felt Pierce’s challenge only confirmed that he was an idiot. However, he hoped Pierce’s lesson wouldn’t be the same as he had endured. He certainly didn’t want M cooing over Pierce the way she had with him.

Pierce met M’s gaze defiantly. “I’m not challenging you, milord, just stating a fact.”

M said, “Would you like me to demonstrate my power on Quinn?”

Pierce grinned, “Yes, I would.”

Quinn looked at M aghast, but she touched his leg under the table in warning.

Jaesa said, her voice filled with power, “Lieutenant Pierce, you would like to see Quinn embarrassed.”

He nodded at M, “I wouldn’t mind seeing you embarrass Quinn.”

M looked at him carefully. “You don’t say.” Jaesa continued, “You think he should be taken down a notch. You think he’s arrogant.”

Quinn glared at Jaesa, affronted.

Pierce said, as if he hadn’t heard Jaesa at all, “He’s arrogant as hell. He should be taken down a notch.”

Vette looked between Jaesa and Pierce with astonishment.

Jaesa said, “If you could, you’d punch him again. Just to put your hands on him.”

Pierce said, “In fact, I’d like to get my hands on him again.”

Jaesa said, “The idea of your hands on his body excites you.”

Quinn sucked in a horrified breath as Pierce said with the same enthusiasm, “Yeah, I like putting my hands on him.”

Jaesa persisted, trying not to smile, “You want to put your hands on him right now, to take him in your arms.”

Pierce looked at Quinn with lust and murmured, “I’d take him right now.” Quinn shrank into his seat.

Vette gasped and put her hands over her mouth, trying not to laugh.

Jaesa said, “All this bickering between you two, when really you’re both attracted to each other, it’s all just a cover. He wants you intensely.”

Quinn put his hand on his blaster. M put a hand out over his and shook her head imperceptibly. He didn’t relax at all.

Pierce wiped his lips with the back of his hand, “He fancies me even more. I oughta do him right now right on this table.” He pushed himself up to stand. 

Quinn stiffened and whispered, “My Lord, I must protest.”

M said softly, “Shush.”

Pierce got up and walked slowly towards Quinn, who was cringing with alarm. 

Jaesa said, “You’ll kiss him now.”

Pierce said, “I’ll kiss you now, Quinn. Come ‘ere.”

Pierce loomed over Quinn with his big beefy hands outstretched, and began to bend down towards him. Quinn had had enough. “My Lord!” He jumped up from his chair and backed away from Pierce, “Stop this immediately!”

M nodded to Jaesa. “I think that’s enough.” She turned to Pierce and said, “Pierce, what are you doing?”

Pierce advanced on Quinn, “I’m gonna have it off with him.”

Vette let out a stifled cry. She was giggling into her hands and her eyes were tearing.

M said calmly, “No, you aren’t, Pierce. You aren’t in love with Quinn.”

“What?”

Jaesa added, with her Voice, “You aren’t in love with Quinn; you’ve been a victim of mind control.”

Pierce stopped, blinked and looked around. “What the-?” He looked at Quinn, who was now on the opposite side of the conference table backed up against a wall and looking at him warily. “Bloody hell!”

Vette began laughing hysterically. She struggled to speak and finally blurted out, “Jaesa, make me kiss Quinn next!”

Quinn huffed, “No one is going to kiss me!”

Broonmark let out a loud, disturbing, honking laugh. At least Quinn thought he was laughing… or possibly retching. It was hard to tell. 

Pierce shook his head angrily, “I’m glad you stopped that, milord, or I would have had to shoot him, and then probably myself. Bloody hell.”

M rolled her eyes, “Oh hush, Pierce, Quinn is an excellent kisser.”

Quinn protested, scandalized, “My Lord! My kissing prowess is not a proper topic of discussion at the conference table!”

Vette pounded the table with her hand, “Stop, stop it, I can’t breathe! Ow my sides!” She held herself and rocked back and forth, shrieking with laughter. Broonmark let off a prolonged howl so disturbing that it silenced the room. 

Broonmark nodded to himself, belched, got up and left.

Vette shook her head, wiping her eyes. “I haven’t had that good a laugh in a really long time. That was great.”

Pierce growled at her. “I don’t much like being mocked, little girl.”

Vette abruptly sobered and looked at him with big eyes.

M held up her hand, “No one is mocking you, Lieutenant. I had a feeling you’d argue about this, so I asked Jaesa to persuade you to do something you absolutely wouldn’t want to do. Evidently she thinks Quinn is the last person in the galaxy you want to kiss.”

Pierce bristled, “Got that straight.”

M shrugged. “Then the point has been made.”

Pierce looked around and then sullenly slid back into his seat. “So, you gonna make everyone do something they don’t like?” He looked pointedly at Quinn.

Quinn narrowed his eyes in return. “I’ve already been given a thorough demonstration by Lord Wrath and her apprentice.”

Pierce snorted, “Wish I coulda been there.”

Vette looked around, “What about me?!”

Jaesa was puzzled. “Vette, why would you want me to control your mind?”

Vette smiled, “Why not? I trust ya. Ooh, I know, make me go on a diet!”

M smiled, “Vette, you’re already as thin as a rail. If anything we should make you eat more.”

“Okay, do that!”

Jaesa sighed and looked at M for help.

M said, “It seems to me that now everyone is convinced that the threat is real. Hopefully that means everyone will be amenable to taking lessons with Jaesa. I realize that willingly putting yourself in a situation where you might lose control of your will might be unsettling. So I suggest that everyone do this with a partner or witness in addition to Jaesa. Is that acceptable to everyone?”

Vette nodded, “Sure thing.”

Quinn nodded as well, thinking he would absolutely not partner with anyone but M.

Pierce scowled but nodded as well. “Yes, milord.”

M sighed and stood. “Thank you for cooperating. Now I should just-“ she wobbled suddenly and reached out to catch herself. 

Quinn was up in an instant to steady her. She was incredibly pale. “My Lord?”

M blinked heavily at him in confusion and then fell against him. She had fainted.

Quinn scooped her up easily in his arms and said, “Jaesa, come with me to the med bay immediately. I am going to have the truth of all of this.”

Jaesa nodded and followed him to the medical bay, with Vette and Pierce trailing behind her.


	15. Quinn discovers his wife's injuries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn finds out how badly his wife is still hurt, and he is extremely angry.

Quinn gently placed M on the med bay stretcher and activated the imaging and diagnostic scanners. As the readouts flickered on, he frowned and broke out a manual scanner, passing it over M’s chest and abdomen. There was something terribly wrong. He activated a subcellular analyzer. “What the-? What in the… bloody… blue blazes is this?!”

Jaesa cringed, not used to hearing him curse. “What?”

He switched the output display to three-dimensional hologram mode. Inside M’s body was an obvious handprint, a sort of half-closed fist. It was inside her liver; the outer surface of the organ was smooth.

“This!”

“What?”

Quinn turned and looked at Jaesa with what he hoped was his most stern expression. “How could I have missed this before? Have you been changing my perception of her injuries?”

Jaesa shook her head, backing away from him. “I swear I haven’t!”

Quinn noticed Vette peeking in around the doorframe. He expected Pierce was with her. “Vette! Do you have some information to add to this investigation?”

Vette squeaked. “No, Quinn Captain, I mean, Captain, I mean-”

“Then I suggest you and Lieutenant Pierce return to your duties.”

Out of sight, Pierce grunted sarcastically, “Right away, Sir!”

Vette craned her neck to look at M. “Is she gonna be okay?” 

Quinn thundered, “Yes! Go away!” As the sound of Vette and Pierce’s retreat faded he returned to the slowly revolving holographic image. “Willsaam, did I not scan Lord Wrath when she returned to the ship?”

Jaesa thought for a moment, “As I remember, Vowrawn’s droid took over her care when you brought her here.”

Quinn went over the events of that day and concluded Jaesa was right. It was another unforgivable oversight on his part due to his unnaturally emotional concern for his wife; he hadn’t been thinking clearly at the time. He shook his head angrily, “But you knew she was seriously injured. I know you’ve been healing her with your…” he motioned vaguely at Jaesa, “Jedi… powers.”   
Jaesa shrugged, “We’ve made good progress, healing a lot of it, and she’s been taking painkillers. But I’ll admit it’s taken longer than expected.”

Quinn looked again in horror at the scan. “She has a handprint… inside her liver. How is that possible?!”

“I don’t know. I didn’t know that was there. But she said since the kidnappers were Force users they played with her insides. Like the way she can choke someone from across the room. Probably one of them just visualized her organs and squashed them in his hand.”

Quinn stiffened with anger. “And she has been surreptitiously taking painkillers. Behind my back! Why would she hide this from me?”

Jaesa put a hand on his arm, “She didn’t want to worry you-“

He threw off her hand impatiently. “Leave. Let me work. Do not come back for at least an hour and then you can have another session with your Jedi magic.”

“I just-“

“Get out!”

She shrank back, bowed her head, and left.

Quinn shook his head as he scanned his wife again. He was going to have to go over every tissue in her body, system by system, to be absolutely sure not to miss anything. It was criminal they’d left Dromund Kaas before he discovered how injured she was; Kaas City had some of the best physicians in the Empire, especially for Force users. 

He went to work, pulling out equipment and stims, triaging the most pressing concerns. She first needed blood replacement and he’d been performing that for only a few minutes when she roused. She blinked up at him and he put down his equipment and bent down to look at her closely. “Wife.”

She smiled, “Husband.”

Quinn licked his lips and tried to calm himself before speaking, trying not to be flagrantly disrespectful. “Wife, you’ve lied to me about your injuries. I cannot take care of you if you lie to me in this manner. If you no longer wish me to be your medic, we shall requisition a new one when we re-enter normal space.”

M frowned and moved to rub her forehead but discovered her arms were strapped to the patient bed. “Why am I in restraints?”

Quinn sighed and picked up his injector again. “You have damage at the cellular level that was missed when you were first administered medical aid.”

“Quinn.” She struggled and pulled at her wrists. “Why am I strapped to this bed?”

Quinn watched her wrestling with the bindings for a long moment. If she were well she’d be able to tear through the cloth straps as if they were paper. He set his jaw. “I have had to take drastic action in order to properly treat you. You may consider yourself my prisoner, Wife, until you are healed. And as the crew’s medic, I have the duty and authority to detain you here.” He held his breath after that last bit, since that was only technically true for Imperial military personnel, not Sith Lords.

M looked at him thoughtfully and sighed. “I suppose it’s your right. But I feel like I’ve spent a lot of time tied up lately. And not in the fun way.”

Quinn felt a twinge of guilt for reminding her of her ordeal, but she was obviously hiding even more than he’d already discovered. He put his hand over hers. “I apologize, but I cannot trust your decisions regarding your health. I am concerned you have a lingering head injury that is clouding your judgment. You are grievously wounded, despite Jaesa’s sessions and whatever healing Vowrawn’s people did for you. I thought the healing tibia was causing your limp, when in fact it was due to these microscopic crush injuries to your muscles.”

“Sorry.”

“Sorry?!” exclaimed Quinn, exasperated. “Blast it, Wife! Being sorry does not make up for the fact that you’ve been slowly bleeding from injuries to your internal organs! I am frankly surprised you did not faint sooner from blood loss! Do you realize, Wife, that you’ve endangered your life and the integrity of the crew because of your misguided efforts to protect my emotional well-being?!” He put down the injector he’d been using because his hand was shaking with anger. “It suggests you feel I cannot handle adversity! It is unacceptable!”

M looked at him lovingly. “Malavai, you haven’t called me ‘My Lord’ once since I woke up. You really are angry, aren’t you?”

Quinn narrowed his eyes at her and picked up his injector again. “If I cause you pain, please tell me. Otherwise be quiet.”

M smiled as he pulled up her sleeve and bent over her arm. “Mala-“

“Quiet!”

M nodded and relaxed back onto her pillow, still smiling.

When Jaesa returned to the med bay Quinn was silently working over M, holding a probe over her stomach and glancing between her body, the overhead monitors and the datapad next to him. He was being particularly careful not to meet M’s eyes. M was gazing at him intently. 

Jaesa cleared her throat. “Ahem, I…”

Quinn looked up sharply. “You!”

Jaesa looked behind her. “Me?”

“Come here immediately, where have you been?”

“What?”

He motioned her over and handed her a scanner. “Here, you hold this over her sternum.”

Jaesa looked at M and asked, “Master, are yo-“

Quinn practically shouted at Jaesa. “Do not speak to her! Do as I say and nothing more. You will have your opportunity to do your part in a few more minutes.”

Jaesa looked at M, who winked at her. Jaesa nodded at Quinn. “Yes, Captain.”

After another quarter of an hour Quinn gave M a third healing stim and stepped back from her bedside. “I’ve done all I can do for now with the facilities available.” He looked at Jaesa and admonished her, “I want you to concentrate on the abdominal organs. I’ve drained some of the old blood pooled in her belly, given her blood replacement and injected her with pluripotent cells to replace the damaged tissue. I’ve wrapped her legs in medical tape; please leave them for a second session.”

Jaesa opened her mouth to speak and Quinn cut her off with a wave of his hand. “When you are finished, get her undressed. I will return in several minutes to supervise, and then she goes back in the tank!”

He began to walk out of the room but paused and said sternly, “Also, for the time being I am detaining Lord Wrath here. Do not allow her to leave the med bay!” He pounded the doorframe with his fist for emphasis and left.

Jaesa waited a moment to see if he’d truly gone. “Wow. He’s really mad.”

M nodded. “Yes. Isn’t he adorable?”


	16. Quinn has a serious talk with his wife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn keeps his wife in restraints in the medbay and makes her promise not to lie to him again. With respect, of course.

M floated in the warm fluid of the kolto tank with her eyes shut, relishing the pleasant tingling of her skin and the languor the kolto tank induced. She wondered idly if Quinn had put painkillers and sedatives in the rejuvenating waters, but decided she didn’t care. She felt good. 

She opened one eye and saw Quinn still standing outside the tank with his arms folded, glaring at her. She closed her eye quickly. Surely he would eventually give up and go sit down. After Jaesa’s session he’d called Toovee into the med bay, attached her to the breathing mask and loaded her into the tank. He hadn’t spoken to her the entire time. 

She supposed he had a right to be cross with her. Even so, it was a relief that he was taking care of her properly now; she had been getting weary of the constant discomfort of her injuries.

What she still dared not tell Quinn was that she was starting to seriously worry about her ability to draw power from the Force. She was barely able to lift a spoon with the Force, much less heal her body. 

She opened her eyes again. Quinn was still there. She reached toward him and pressed her palm against the clear transparisteel of the tank wall. She saw him take an angry deep breath, but she persisted and eventually he stepped forward and put his hand opposite hers. 

Quinn didn’t smile, he didn’t frown, he didn’t move or fidget. He just stood there with his hand opposite hers while she floated. Other than occasional glances to the readouts on the wall of the tank, he held her gaze patiently and calmly. She thought she loved him more than she’d loved anyone or anything in her entire life. She wondered if he knew. She tried to reach out to him with her mind to tell him, but felt exhausted by the effort. He obviously realized something was up, because he mouthed the words, “Be still” and pressed some control on the outside of the tank. She felt a comfortable ease wash over her and then she was asleep. 

When she awoke she was warm and dry, in a fresh medical robe and under clean sheets in the med bay. Quinn was sitting beside her, working on a datapad. She felt better than she had since the kidnapping. She had been foolish to lie to him about her condition, and she wanted to tell him. She tried but couldn’t speak; she realized she had a mask over her mouth and a tube down her throat. She panicked and thrashed against the restraints trying to pull off the mask. Suddenly he was over her, holding her shoulders down. “You’re safe, I’m here. Hold still, I’ll remove the breather.” 

She choked and coughed as he withdrew the offending mask. He put a cool hand to her forehead. “I apologize for your discomfort. I wanted to prolong the treatment to your lungs.” He smiled for the first time since he’d brought her to the med bay. “You’re stable. I won’t lose you.”

She nodded and asked hoarsely. “How long have I been asleep?”

“A bit over twelve hours.”

“Twelve-?”

“We’ve arrived on Nar Shaddaa. There are no messages, no orders, no emergencies. You must concentrate on your recovery, My Lord.”

She smiled at him. “Are you going to forgive me, then?”

“Of course, My Lord, now that you are stable. I would have been extremely angry if you had died.”

She looked around the med bay. “Have you been here this whole time?”

“Yes. Your apprentice was here again several hours ago to practice her Jedi healing upon you. I find her abilities, as well as your own of course, to be quite amazing.”

She shifted her feet anxiously under the coverlet and felt a bit claustrophobic. “Will you release me? I want to sit up. I promise not to run away.”

“With respect, my ability to keep you here against your will is a great comfort to me. I don’t have to guess what injuries you might accrue and then deny having later.”

She pouted, “Please let me get up?” She batted her eyelashes at him.

He raised a brow. “Perhaps I should scan your brain again.”

She frowned at him. “I order you to release me, Malavai Quinn.”

He studied her and finally nodded stiffly, “Very well, My Lord.” 

He freed her and she sat up and stretched her arms. “Oh, I do feel better.”

He watched her carefully. “By tomorrow you should be well enough to return to light duties.”

“I feel much better. I’m sure I can get back to work now.”

Quinn grabbed her hands in his and admonished her, “Do you want me to strap you back down? Or knock you out and put you back in the tank? I’ll do it if you don’t follow my advice, and you may court martial or execute me later.”

She pulled away, shocked, and dropped her hands into her lap. “I’ve never seen you like this, Quinn.”

“Forgive me, My Lord, but you have placed me in an impossible position. If I must risk my life and career to save yours, I shall do so.”

She studied him. Even without her powers she could tell he was still intensely angry. He always became more presumptuous when he was angry with her, but never like this. She expected he would follow through with his threat if pushed, and then he would realize she’d lost her powers when she couldn’t escape. It would be easier to just placate him. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was still hurt.” 

“Hm.”

“It was foolish of me. Of course I trust your judgment and abilities as a medic.”

“Hm.”

“I was… trying to protect you.”

His face clouded over and he said in a low voice, “Have I given you just cause to believe that I am a weak man? Do you believe I should be coddled like an infant? Because I’m not a Force sensitive, perhaps?”

M chewed her lip. “No, Malavai.”

Quinn nodded and bent over her again, his nose only millimeters from her own. She started to draw back and he caught the back of her head with his hand. He growled at her, in almost a whisper, “Do not ever lie to me again about the state of your health, or I will resign as your medic. Do you understand, Wife?”

She hesitated, but decided he was within his rights to make the demand. He was also extremely sexy when he was angry. “I understand. I promise to do as you say. Now kiss me.”

He searched her eyes, “I’m serious, Wife.”

“So am I. I promise.”

“Very well.” He tightened his grip on her head, slid his other arm around her shoulders, and kissed her. She slipped her arms around him and returned the kiss, relishing the taste of his mouth on hers. He clutched her tightly and after exploring her mouth with his tongue he tore away from her lips to bombard her cheek and neck with frantic kisses. The roughness of the stubble on his face was a further testament of his anguish; she’d never known him to go without shaving twice a day in normal circumstances. She liked the bristly feeling of his face and the masculine smell of his sweat mixed with kolto. She pushed her fingers through his hair and took in a deep breath, savoring him. 

Quinn had worked his way kissing and nipping down her neck and collarbone when he suddenly pulled away and shook himself. “I… apologize. I became over-enthused. You need to rest for another day at least.” He swallowed hard.

She grinned and pulled him back. “All right, Quinn, I’ll rest. But only if you stay here with me and cuddle.”

Quinn grimaced. “I dislike the word ‘cuddle’.”

M’s grin widened.


	17. Quinn and Jaesa work their way through Nar Shaddaa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn tries to act friendly with Jaesa while they go on a frustrating mission to Nar Shaddaa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _No, seriously, am I the only one that found the Nar Shaddaa map to be incredibly annoying? It was actually worse for me than the Undercity was when I started playing World of Warcraft in terms of getting from point A to point B. How could anyone actually navigate that crazy city in real life? Well, this is how Quinn and Jaesa did it. I did reference the city maps when working out their path... you can live the adventure yourself... if you are really, really bored... ;-) And another thing, why were the head guys in the interrogation area called Archons? Are there other planets where anyone is called an Archon? Very weird planet. But shiny!_ -LW

The following morning Quinn confirmed M was making a good recovery, so she asked him to take Jaesa into the Industrial Sector of Nar Shaddaa. Jaesa felt her Revanite source was there. It was partly an Imperial-controlled area, so Jaesa would need an Imperial escort if she were to have any chance to get through. Quinn would have preferred to have sent Pierce and stay onboard to watch M, but he knew Pierce had no talent for intrigue or diplomacy. 

Before Quinn disembarked, he pulled Vette aside. He told her not to leave M unattended and to shoot Pierce if he went anywhere near her. Vette grinned and patted him on the shoulder with a “Sure thing, boss” and walked away humming. He hoped that meant she would comply.

As they left the ship Quinn felt certain they made a very strange-looking couple. He was wearing his dark grey Imperial Officer uniform, and Jaesa was wearing the traditional brown robes of a Jedi. It couldn’t be helped; if they were looking for someone straddling the factions, they needed to represent both.

Fortunately as they walked through Mezenti Spaceport, the locals didn’t seem to find anything remarkable about them. The vendors were just as persistent at hawking their wares and more than one drunken mercenary made a pass at Jaesa. “Situation normal, I suppose,” thought Quinn and they made good time out to the city taxi. However, they found themselves standing for several minutes in front of the local directory map trying to decide where to go next. 

Jaesa closed her eyes, concentrated, and then pointed to the map. “I’m not sure exactly where he is, but it’s the industrial sector for sure.”

“Is there anything else you can tell me about this person?”

“It’s a man, or male at least, I think.” Jaesa closed her eyes and frowned. “He feels part Jedi, part Sith, I don’t know for sure, Captain. He’s in pain.”

“At this moment?”

“I think he’s being interrogated.”

“By whom?”

She opened her eyes. “I’m sorry, I don’t know.”

Quinn sighed. “Well, if he’s Imperial, then we should look to the Republic prisoner camps, of which there are many. If he’s Republic, then one of the Imperial Intelligence Interrogation centers.”

Jaesa winced. “That sounds horrible.”

Quinn nodded. “Interrogation is never pretty. Personally I feel it is far more efficient to find a family member or colleague to threaten if you want information from a prisoner.” He took Jaesa’s arm and steered her toward an open taxi.

Jaesa pulled away. “How can you say such a cruel thing?”

“Before you pass judgment, you should know that in those cases the hostage is rarely seriously injured and the information is far more reliable. I’m not as merciful as my wife, but I do realize violence is not always the best pathway to victory.”

Jaesa smiled grimly. “She’s a good influence on you.”

“I prefer to think I am a moderating influence on her.” Quinn helped Jaesa step into the taxi and continued, “It may be more expedient to first visit the Imperial side. Our affiliation with Lord Wrath will open many doors very quickly.”

“Okay.” She sat down and looked at him earnestly, “Have you ever interrogated anyone, Captain?” 

He buckled in and started the vehicle. “No, but I’ve undergone interrogation. I was… betrayed by an unstable commander. Interrogation is very unpleasant, but there are no long lasting effects.”

Jaesa’s eyes softened and she put a hand on Quinn’s arm. “I’m sorry.” 

He stiffened, offended. “I do not require pity. Interrogation is an instrument required at times to secure information. Provided the interrogator is not a sadist, the prisoner will emerge uninjured and properly chastened.” 

Quinn frowned at the brightly lit signs along their flight path advertising food, drink, slaves, sex, weapons, surgical enhancements and every decadent drug known in the galaxy. He found the lurid display repellent, but when he glanced at Jaesa she appeared to be enthralled by the bright colors. He sighed. As long as he was trapped in the taxi with her, he felt he should make some friendly gesture in order to facilitate the success of their mission. He said, “You know, when I was here with Lord Wrath, we investigated this Revan. We found a cult of unusual aliens that worshipped a Force-driven device that was somehow linked to him. It could produce any object or element, but was impractical.”

“Really?” Jaesa said, “Could we go visit that cult?”

Quinn grimaced. “When our mission is complete, I suppose. The cultists had no notion of how the device worked, and they were very primitive. Ask Lord Wrath about it; I believe she has a copy of Revan’s journal.”

“Really?! I will, thanks.” 

Quinn expected that was a sufficiently friendly conversation to proceed with the mission.

When they arrived in the Industrial Sector they checked in with Imperial Intelligence who suggested unhelpfully that they “certainly had no Republic Force-users as prisoners and if they did they wouldn’t share that information.” The staff also succeeded in dragging Jaesa off by herself somewhere when Quinn’s back was turned. Quinn not only threatened to call Lord Wrath, but also sent an emergency message to a local contact in Intelligence. After ten minutes or so Jaesa reappeared, looking a bit rumpled, and the section chief directed them to the Imperial Re-Education Center. Quinn thanked them cordially, as if nothing untoward had happened, and grabbed Jaesa’s arm and propelled her out of the agent offices.

When they were clear, Quinn asked, “Are you injured?”

Jaesa shook her head and straightened her robes. “Let’s just go.”

Quinn scanned her, despite her protests, and having satisfied himself that she truly wasn’t hurt, started back the way they had come, checking the local map on his data pad. “The most expedient way is east through a Republic research sector and then through an Imperial warehouse. Can you get me past the Republic guards, or shall we go the long way around?”

“I’ll do my best to get us through. The man I’m sensing is definitely being interrogated right now; I don’t want to keep him waiting. Why are the faction sectors so mixed up here anyway?”

“Well-founded mutual distrust. Neither side wants the other to have a foothold.”

Jaesa sighed, “What a waste.”

They worked their way through the Republic research sector, where Quinn posed as Jaesa’s prisoner, and then through a mercenary camp, where they both had to draw their weapons to keep from being robbed, and then up a corporate elevator, where they were trapped for several minutes while the onboard droid made them sign nondisclosure agreements, and then through an Imperial tech warehouse, where Jaesa posed as Quinn’s prisoner, and then finally up a ramp to the Imperial Re-Education Center.

As they arrived Quinn straightened his tunic. “I believe we had best be ourselves here; the lie detector technology in these centers is quite sophisticated.”

Jaesa looked around her in horror. The walls were lined with small prisoner cells enclosed in softly humming red force fields. The cells were interspersed with interrogation tables and medical bays. What surprised her the most was how many prisoners were being kept here. “Surely these aren’t all Republic prisoners? I thought the last accord made torture illegal?”

Quinn raised a brow. “Surely even you are not so naïve to not know both sides use interrogation drugs, devices and droids?”

“I don’t believe you.”

Quinn sighed, “You may believe what you wish. I’d think our time spent on Belsavis would have acquainted you with the hypocrisy of the Republic’s stance on prisoners’ rights. Regardless, I’d expect the majority of these prisoners are Imperial.”

“Why would you torture your own people? How can you-“ Jaesa was interrupted by a male scream of agony. “It’s him!” 

Quinn turned his head toward the sound. “Let us proceed calmly.” 

They worked their way through the unnervingly large compound toward the sound of screaming and came upon a grey-haired dark-skinned Imperial officer holding a remote over a writhing prisoner shackled to an upright interrogation table. The victim was a pale middle-aged human male with a red beard wearing a tattered blue and maroon robe. As they approached the officer, he deactivated the remote and turned to them. His victim slumped in his bonds, exhausted.

By his uniform, Quinn assumed the officer was the Archon of the unit. Quinn bowed stiffly, “Sir. I apologize for interrupting your work. I am Captain Malavai Quinn. I represent the Emperor’s Wrath and she is curious about this prisoner.” 

“Is she? That’s interesting. And why do you have a Jedi with you, Captain?”

Jaesa bowed. “I am Lord Wrath’s apprentice, Jaesa Willsaam. My Master rescued me from the Jedi last year and I now serve her and the Empire.”

The Archon raised a brow. “Even more interesting. And what are your wishes regarding this wretch, Captain?”

Quinn said, “Lord Wrath has been tasked by the Dark Council to investigate a cult of both dark- and light-side Force practitioners. Her apprentice sensed this man might be relevant to our investigation.”

The Archon considered them, and then called over an officer to check their story. While they waited, the Archon said, “May I continue with my interrogation?”

Quinn suspected the question was rhetorical. “Of course, sir.”

He felt Jaesa twitch beside him but she didn’t protest. 

The Archon turned back to his prisoner and said, “This person calls himself Dzoun, and we believe he is a member of the cult you speak of. You’ll notice he has evidence of Force corruption on his skin here, and here.” He pointed to the man’s face and chest, “and he speaks with the accent of a subject of the Empire. Yet he was observed using light side energy to heal damaged slaver inventory in the Duros Sector.”

Jaesa frowned. “Is using light force techniques a crime in the Empire? My master has never told me of this.”

The Archon narrowed his eyes at Jaesa. 

Quinn hastened to explain, “Sir, Willsaam here was brought up in a Jedi Academy, and is still new to our laws and ways. She has been an excellent pupil to my master and her allegiance is not in question.”

“I see. It is not a crime… Padawan,” he stressed the title with deliberation, “but very strange to see from a Sith. Later he was caught running a recruitment meeting for his cult. Now we are trying to determine the names of his superiors and accomplices.” He turned back to Dzoun and asked, “Are you ready to tell us what we wish to know? If you do, all the pain will end and we’ll help you to forget these dangerous inclinations you have.”

Dzoun looked at the Archon with defiance but said nothing.

The Archon sighed, “Very well,” and reactivated the table.

To her credit, Quinn thought, Jaesa was able to stand the sight of Dzoun’s agony for a long time before she eventually turned her head and pressed it against his shoulder, clapping her hands over her ears to drown out the screaming. “I’m sorry, Captain, I can’t watch.”

Quinn awkwardly patted her back and made a long-suffering expression for the benefit of the Archon. The Archon glanced at Jaesa with disdain and shook his head. “This is not a place for the faint-hearted. Wait in the administrative area. I’ll meet you when I am finished.”

Quinn nodded his head and said, “I’d ask that you not kill the prisoner so that Lord Wrath can make her own inquiries.”

The Archon raised a brow, nodded and motioned to Quinn to leave.

* * *

Several hours later, they were still waiting. Quinn noticed that the number of jailers, interrogators and security guards who were working in the center’s administrative office seemed to be growing. Apparently Jaesa had noticed as well, as she had taken to playing with her unlit light saber. Quinn didn’t think they had any chance of taking Dzoun with them and fighting their way out, especially through the gauntlet of corporate police, mercenaries and Republic researchers they’d had to go through to get here. So he waited. He assumed their story was being checked and/or the Archon was squeezing as much out of the prisoner as possible before turning him over. 

He was right on both counts. Eventually the Archon arrived along with two Intelligence officers and said, “Your story has been confirmed by three methods of inquiry, and I am finished with the wretch and had planned to execute him. You will save me the trouble. I can have him delivered to Lord Wrath’s ship this evening. He requires a bit of recuperation before he can travel.

Quinn bowed. “Thank you, sir.”

The Archon gestured to his two officers and ordered them to escort Quinn and Jaesa back to the ship. They knew a convoluted pathway back through Imperial territory that would be less harrowing than the route Quinn and Jaesa had arrived by. They walked back to the sector taxi stand without incident.


	18. Quinn hears his wife's confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn's wife confesses what's really troubling her, or so he thinks...

_M woke and blinked around at the darkness, confused. She wasn’t sure where she was, although she assumed she was in the med bay. Had there been a power failure? Were they under attack? She listened for a moment but heard nothing. She sat up and slid off the bed and felt around in the darkness until she found the bulkhead wall. She called out, “Hello? Quinn? Vette? Anyone?” but got no answer. She made her way to the holocomm room, also pitch black, and then on toward the conference room, where she saw a gleam of light spilling out of the door. When she finally found her way there, the light was coming from hands of a Jedi sitting at the head of the table. That couldn’t be right, surely._

_“Who are you?” She edged closer to look at him. He was a big man, human, with a short dark beard. He had his hooded robe pulled over his eyes._

_He murmured, “I’m the one you’re looking for.”_

_“Who am I looking for?”_

_He pulled off his hood to reveal dark eyes, long dark hair and burns on his face that looked like the imprint of a mask._

_“Huh.” She looked him over, “I know you.”_

_“I am Revan.”_

_“You’re dead.”_

_He shrugged, smiling. “Am I?”_

_“What do you want from me?”_

_“I have no demands.”_

_“Then-“_

_“There is more to the Force than either the Jedi or the Sith know. Do not destroy your talent using powers you don’t understand.”_

_“What does that m-“_

_There was a loud crash behind her. She whipped her head around, but not soon enough to deflect the blow that landed on the side of her head. As she fell she saw one of her Sith kidnappers standing over her with a tree branch, winding up for another strike. She plunged back into darkness._

When she opened her eyes again, she was back in the med bay. The lights were dimmed but the colorful readouts beside her were comfortingly beeping softly. 

“Hey there, boss.”

“Vette?” 

Vette appeared over her. “Have a nice nap? Pierce came by a few times, but I sent him away. Make sure you tell Quinn I sent Pierce away so he doesn’t beat me up.”

“Quinn wouldn’t beat you up, Vette.”

“Well he uses sarcasm and looks at me all creepy.”

M rubbed her nose. “Have you been here all this time? I just had a very strange dream.”

“Yeah. Hey, listen, Quinn and Jae are coming back, you wanna get cleaned up?”

“Yes, thank you.” M stood and stretched. Vette helped her undress, shower and change into a soft white shipboard tunic and trousers. She was sick of the med bay, but knew Quinn would be apoplectic if she wasn’t there when he returned. It was easier to humor him. Vette settled M back onto the med bay treatment bed and as she reclined back Vette asked, “Are you gonna die?”

M blinked. “What?”

“Well, My Lord, the thing is… you’re acting weird.”

“Weird?”

“Weird. I haven’t seen you use your powers since I’ve been here. You got up earlier to get a drink off the counter, when you could have just …you know… whoosh!” She mimed a cup floating in the air.

M sighed, “You are very observant.” 

“Your Sith powers are wonky, right?”

“Would you not mention this to the others?”

Vette saluted, “You can count on me, My Lord.”

“Thank you.”

* * *

When Quinn returned he did come and check on her as expected, but then left again to work, admonishing her not to leave the med bay. It was a surprise, therefore, that several hours later he came back somewhat breathlessly to ask her to move back to their quarters ‘due to security concerns’. M accepted the offer with relief and had just finished collecting her belongings when Pierce came in holding a tattered, pale, unconscious man in his arms. Pierce unloaded the man on the bed and turned to M.

“You want a ride back to your bed, milord?” He held out his arms.

Quinn said sharply, “Pierce. Out.”

Pierce smirked at M and shrugged before leaving. M paused to peer at the face of the man Quinn was already scanning. She gasped. “I know this man!” 

Quinn paused to look at her. “Friend or foe?”

“The last time we met, a friend. A Revanite.”

“Very good, My Lord. I’ll let you know when he awakens. Please go to bed, My Lord.”

Vette appeared at her side and began pulling on her arm. “Come on, My Lord, or Quinn’ll get all weird.”

* * *

M didn’t have to wait long. Quinn wearily entered their quarters, loosening his tunic collar and putting his gear on its usual shelf. “We found our Revanite friend in Imperial Re-education. He is suffering only from exhaustion, and will recover. He will awaken tomorrow, I expect, with many questions.”

M put aside her datapad and held out her arms. “Come here, my darling.”

Quinn walked briskly to kneel on the bed and take her in his arms. He kissed her and murmured, “You are fully recovered, then, My Lord?”

M hesitated. In the medbay she’d decided to tell Quinn the truth about her injuries, but now she was frightened to do so. She couldn’t feel his emotions; she had no way to tell how he would react. 

Quinn studied her face. “What is it?” He drew back quickly and looked her over anxiously. Are you in pain?”

“No, I’m fine.”

Quinn narrowed his eyes. “My Lord, I believe you promised to be honest with me about your health.”

M sighed. She had promised Quinn and she had also promised Jaesa to work on keeping promises. She was beginning to feel it was more trouble than it was worth. “Physically, I’m fine.”

Quinn settled on the edge of the bed, unfastening his jacket completely, never taking his eyes off of her. “But?”

M took a deep breath. “My connection to the Force. It’s terribly weak.”

“Back on Dromund Kaas you were radiating power. You were so vividly colored that it was difficult to look at you as you slew those fiends who abducted you.”

“I know. But since then I can barely feel the Force.” She extended a hand toward the stylus she’d left on the bedside table and tried to feel its weight and the table underneath. She managed to get it to roll around a bit, but couldn’t lift it.

Quinn frowned but nodded. “I’ve suspected something of the sort. It was far too easy to subdue you in the medbay and arguing with you has not evoked your…” He gestured to her eyes. “…your red glowing eye phenomenon.”

M smiled. “I didn’t know you had a name for that. It doesn’t roll off the tongue, though, does it?”

Quinn raised a brow. “I will endeavor to find a more suitable descriptor at a later time. Does anyone else know about your difficulty with the Force?”

“Vette noticed. Jaesa knows. I don’t think Pierce or Broonmark know.”

“It is essential this remain a secret until you recover. You are vulnerable to any assassin as you are now.”

“I know.”

“How can I help, My Lord?”

“I don’t know.”

“Hm.” Quinn reached down to pull off his boots while he thought about it. He placed his boots neatly on the floor, slipped off his jacket and then turned to her and climbed completely onto the bed. “My Lord, when you and your apprentice were… educating me…” He pointed up at the hook that was still in the ceiling, “…you seemed quite stimulated by my discomfort. Perhaps you could repeat the session.”

M grimaced. “I promised never to do that again, Malavai. I’m trying very hard to keep my promises, as it seems to make you and Jaesa happy. I prefer you both when you’re happy.”

Quinn rested on his arm and looked at her solemnly. “What makes me happy, My Lord, is for you to be sufficiently powerful to protect yourself and this crew. For you to be an effective instrument of the Emperor.”

M searched his eyes. “You are completely hopeless, Malavai.”

“I disagree.”

M affectionately ran her finger down the side of Quinn’s face. “I think what got me so excited was your anger and despair. I don’t think I could make you that angry or upset again without really hurting you.”

He took her hand and kissed it. “I am willing to take the risk; I live to serve you, My Lord.”

“Malavai, if I accidentally killed you I would be devastated.”

“I suppose. Hm.” Quinn rubbed his chin. “My Lord, I would enthusiastically support you at this point if you wanted to torture Pierce. He has a number of transgressions on his record you could justifiably punish him for.”

M laughed. “I’d like to keep him on the team. I think he’d quit if I did that!”

“No, he doesn’t see the big picture as I do.”

M sobered. “Malavai?”

“Wife?”

She hesitated and chewed her lip. “What if I lose my connection to the Force. What if I never get it back?”

Quinn squeezed her hand. “You will be restored, I’m certain.”

“What if I’m not?”

Quinn searched her eyes. “If not, then I will protect you, My Lord, have no fear.”

M leaned forward and grasped his hand with both of hers. “But… would you…?” She hesitated, afraid to ask the question.

“I would do whatever you asked, of course.”

M’s lip trembled and her eyes shone with tears. “But would you…?”

Quinn studied her for a long moment and finally sighed. “My Lord, are you concerned that my love for you is wholly based on your ability to wield the Force?”

M stared back at him, stricken. 

Quinn smiled and shook his head. “Once again you do me little credit, Wife. Of course I would still love you.”

M swallowed deeply and then leaned forward to hug him, words tumbling out as she pressed her cheek to his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Malavai. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that I was still hurt. I didn’t want you to find out I’d lost my powers.”

Quinn nodded and hugged her back. “Ah. Well. As I said, I did suspect the situation before now.” He pushed her gently away and held her at arms length. “You forget, I graduated at the top of my class at the Academy; I’m really rather clever.” He pointed to himself. “Not just a pretty face.”

M burst into laughter and Quinn reached forward gently and wiped her tears away. He said, “Now, will you trust me to help you with this problem, Wife?”

M nodded and lay back on her pillow. She put her arms out toward him. “I’ll trust you, Malavai, but I won’t torture you to get my powers back. Why don’t you stir my dark side the usual way?”

Quinn’s forehead furrowed with concern. “Are you ready for that, My Lord? I don’t want to push you until you are emotionally prepared.”

M growled, “Call me Wife.”

“I apologize. Are you ready for me to make love to you, Wife?”

M smiled. “Yes.”

“Well then, I shall do my best to ignite your dark side.” He moved over her and kissed her. And then he did his best. Which was pretty damn good.


	19. Quinn has to rescue his wife... again!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn's wife is attacked again, this time in her own stateroom.

When M woke the next morning, Quinn was already gone to see to his duties. She was bored after being such a layabout over the preceding days and she thought it was time to get back to her normal life. 

As she stood she stretched, sore from Quinn’s enthusiastic attentions. It was strange to feel these mild aches and pains. Usually a few moments of concentration were all she needed to heal such minor injuries. 

She felt adrift without anyone to counsel her in Sith matters like this. In her younger days, she would have sought advice from a Sith instructor at the Academy. Now to tell anyone she was weak was as good as suicide. 

Her reaction to Quinn’s lovemaking had been mixed. Of course he ignited her lust for him, but at the moment he’d entered her she’d had a flashback to her abduction. She’d reflexively calmed herself and repressed the memory of the horrific carnage she’d created as well as her anger at the Sith men who had tortured her. The net effect had been that she hadn’t gained any ground in finding her powers again, and she felt she’d disappointed Quinn as a lover. Of course, he didn’t complain. 

She yawned, pulled on a robe, and headed to the crew showers. When she opened her stateroom door, a dark figure loomed in the doorway. He struck her and she lost consciousness. 

 

* * *

 

Quinn was in the cockpit early that morning. He had lifted off from Nar Shaddaa as soon as they could get clearance and now the ship was parked in orbit. He was going over the star chart with Jaesa to decide where they should next visit when Vette ran in and shouted breathlessly, “Quinn! Come quick!”

Quinn looked up, “What is the p-“

“I can’t get into M’s room. She won’t open and she doesn’t answer when I-“

“She may have gone to the-“

“Shower, I know, she isn’t there. And Toovee’s turned off in the med bay and the new guy isn’t there.”

Quinn looked at Jaesa, and they both stood and pushed past Vette toward M’s stateroom. Quinn overrode the lock and he drew his pistol as the door opened. He aimed it resolutely at the man holding his wife hostage. 

Dzoun was sitting at the console, obviously accessing the communication system. M was draped across his lap, unconscious, her arms bound behind her with some med bay cables. He turned toward the door when it opened, and holding a surgical blade to M’s neck called out, “Don’t come any closer! I do not wish to harm her.”

Quinn didn’t lower his pistol. “You will not leave this ship alive if you injure her.”

Dzoun continued to enter data with his free hand without looking at the console. “I don’t need to leave here alive, although I would prefer it.”

Jaesa inched into the room and stood beside Quinn. She held out her hand and said in her Voice, “You don’t need to hurt anyone. We are your friends.”

Quinn shivered as he felt the power of the suggestion flow past him. Jaesa was using her full power and clearly had been going easy on him in their sessions. He would have to discuss that with her at their next meeting. 

Dzoun smiled kindly at Jaesa. “My dear, you can’t make me do as you wish. But I appreciate the effort.” He studied her and nodded towards Quinn. “You two were at my interrogation.” 

Jaesa nodded. “We were there to extract you. I’m sorry we couldn’t spare you from their torture.”

“Why are you working with the Empire, Jedi?”

Quinn interrupted, “We will tell you nothing more until you release your hostage, Dzoun.”

Dzoun studied Quinn carefully. “This woman is important to you. A lover, a wife?”

Quinn started to answer but was interrupted by a blaster bolt flying perilously close past his ear and hitting Dzoun in the shoulder. Dzoun dropped M to the floor and Jaesa was on him in a moment. She pulled the blade from his hand. 

Quinn rushed forward to sweep his wife off the floor and frantically examined her for wounds. “Pierce, you bloody idiot! He could’ve slit her throat!”

Pierce grinned and emerged from the corridor. He tapped the extra sight on his rifle and rested the barrel on his shoulder. “I know my business, ya prat. He had the safety on and wasn’t even holding the proper edge on her neck. Could see it through my scope.” He motioned toward Dzoun, who was looking at them, puzzled. “Want me to throw him out the airlock?”

Quinn and Jaesa replied at the same time, “Yes!” and “No!” respectively.

Pierce looked at Dzoun menacingly. “I could throw half of him out the airlock.”

Dzoun held up his good hand, “I surrender.”

Pierce sniffed. “That’ll do you a fat lot of good when you tied up the boss. Who were you messaging?”

Dzoun looked at Pierce defiantly.

Quinn pulled out his vibroknife and cut M free, saying, “Yes, we take great exception to people ‘tying up the boss’.” He turned his wife over and frowned angrily at the mark on her temple where Dzoun had obviously hit her. He patted her cheek gently, “My Lord? Wake up, My Lord.”

Dzoun looked curiously at M. “My Lord? A Sith lord?” His face registered surprise. “I know this woman. That is, I…” 

Pierce growled. “You’d better hope she wakes up.”

Dzoun looked at Jaesa, who was examining his shoulder. “Why can’t I feel her presence?”

Jaesa hesitated and looked to Quinn for help.

Quinn said quietly, “Unless you can be of great assistance, you will not leave this ship alive. Pierce, take him to the brig, such as it is. Willsaam, reactivate Toovee and order him to attend to Dzoun’s injury, but only if it is life threatening. And get Vette working on that communication he sent.”

Jaesa nodded and she and Pierce escorted their prisoner to the holding cell sharing space with Broonmark’s meat cache. Quinn expected Dzoun wouldn’t care for his new quarters.

 

* * *

 

_  
M found herself back in darkness. For the first time in her life she felt completely vulnerable and afraid. She was cold and shivering and her head hurt. She tried summoning her rage at having been attacked again but couldn’t latch onto the Force._

_She heard a buzzing, static sound, and Revan appeared again, glowing a soft blue._

_She blinked at him. “So are you dead now?”_

_Revan raised a brow. “There is no death. There is only the Force.”_

_She paused. “Why can’t I feel the Force?”_

_“Through passion, you gain strength. Through strength you gain power.”_

_“That doesn’t answer my question.”_

_“If you choose to draw power from a unified Force, you must learn to embrace both the Jedi and the Sith code, and most importantly what falls between. You are not doing this correctly.”_

_“I don’t understand.” M shook her head. “Go away now. I’m fairly sure you’re a hallucination anyway.”_

_Revan smiled. “Take your captive and go to Voss. You’ll find what you need there.”_

_“If you’re real,” M said crossly, “why would you be wasting your time with me? I’d think you’d be a bit cross over the business at the Foundry.”_

_“Cross? Interesting.” He vanished._

M woke up in the med bay. Again. Again! This was intolerable. She wondered how any non-Force users lived past the age of five being so fragile. She reached up and felt a kolto mesh pad on her temple. Her head ached. Vette was sitting next to her but jumped up and leaned over her when M asked, “What’s happened now?”

Vette grasped her hand. “Oh, wow, I’m so glad you woke up. Quinn’s going crazy. He wants to kill that new guy.”

“New guy?” M rubbed her eyes. “The Revanite?”

Vette nodded. “He’s the guy who conked you on the head. I think Quinn is gonna kill him. Pierce was super mad too. Between you and me I think Pierce is totally in love with you.”

M nodded. “I would say ‘in lust’ is a more appropriate phrase.” She sat up, felt nauseated and sank back down. “Tell Quinn I need to go to Voss.”

“Okay. Don’t go anywhere, or Quinn’ll beat me up.”

“Quinn would never beat you up.”

“I don’t want to chance it!”


	20. Quinn's wife consults with the Revanite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Emperor's Wrath is desperate, and turns to the Revanite for advice.

Despite Quinn’s efforts, M’s health continued to decline. She should have recovered from her encounter with Dzoun in a matter of hours, but two days later she was still in bed, too nauseated and tired to get up. He had checked her head to toe and she was physically as robust as she’d ever been, yet she was still fading before his eyes. He’d allowed her to return to her stateroom, for there was nothing more he could offer her in the med bay.

He and Jaesa had taken turns grilling the newcomer, Dzoun, who insisted he was a friend despite his earlier actions. Vette had tracked his message to a public message center but there was no way to tell who would pick it up. Fortunately the message was merely a few nonsense words that Dzoun insisted only meant he was alive and hadn’t given up any secrets under torture on Nar Shaddaa. 

Dzoun, however, was very interested in M and the apparent loss of her powers. He spoke at great length to Jaesa, with M’s permission, and asked to speak to M.

Quinn insisted that he and Jaesa be present if Dzoun met with M. When they brought Dzoun in chains to see her, Vette and Pierce came along as well. 

The evening of his visit M was in her bed, wearing crisp white robes and snuggled under pristine silk linens. Quinn and Jaesa sat on the edge of the mattress platform when Vette and Pierce entered the room, dragging in a bedraggled, filthy, chained and bloodied Dzoun. Pierce pushed him to the floor. “Kneel before Lord Wrath!” 

Dzoun pushed himself up to his knees and looked at M curiously. Pierce put a heavy hand on his shoulder. “Don’t even think about trying anything.”

Dzoun met eyes with M. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

M tried to push herself up a little taller. After her vision of Revan, she was desperate for Dzoun’s advice. But it was no good to be weak in front of this man and her crew. “Dzoun.”

He nodded. “My Lord. I apologize for injuring you earlier. I didn’t recognize you. I was thinking only of using your comm station.” He bowed his head.

She nodded in return. “You’ve had some adventures since we last met.”

“As have you.”

She nodded again. She wondered if she should ask the crew to leave, and then decided they had earned her trust. Besides, Quinn would make a fuss. “My apprentice tells me you wished to see me.”

Dzoun nodded and started to get up. Pierce held him firmly to the ground. “My Lord, when I last met you, you were one of the most powerful Sith I’d ever met. Now I can barely feel your presence.”

M sighed. “True.”

“How did you lose your powers?”

M shook her head. “I don't know. The last time I could feel the Force I was exacting revenge on my kidnappers on Dromund Kaas. I was more powerful that day than I have ever been in my life. I believe the Emperor was working through me as well. It was an exhilarating experience.”  
“The Emperor? How do you know?”   
“He spoke to me when I was abducted and tortured.”

Jaesa and Quinn looked at M sharply. M shrugged apologetically for not having mentioned it before. “I had also spoken to him before on Voss through His Voice. I feel certain it was truly Him.”

Dzoun stroked his beard. “When you say you had an exhilarating experience, what do you mean?”

“I was so angry, and had been so afraid and in such pain, it was like a torrent of power flooded through me, and out of me, and I felt as if I were everywhere. I felt the power of Dromund Kaas, the planet I mean, fill my body. I felt the energy of the stars and the creatures on the worlds around them…” Her voice trailed off as she realized that what she was saying sounded insane. She suddenly wondered if she would completely lose her mind before she died.

She glanced at Quinn, who was looking at her with great concern, so she continued, “I wanted to kill those men and I wanted to protect my husband, and I had to make no… I suppose the word is ‘effort’. I had to make no effort to do it. The Force knew what I wanted, and what it wanted, and did it through me. I can’t explain it exactly, but I wasn’t in control. And when it was done, everyone and everything around me was destroyed. Blown apart. Completely. Then all the power receded in a rush and I passed out. That’s all I remember.”

Dzoun nodded. “I don’t know if the Emperor was working through you, but it sounds to me as though you had a moment of Unity with the Force.”

Jaesa gasped. Quinn asked, “What does that mean?”

Dzoun asked the crew around him, “Did any of you witness her when this happened?”

Quinn and Pierce nodded. Quinn said, “I’ve never seen anything like it. She glowed, and floated, like a demon. Or an angel.”

Pierce said, “Couldn’t follow her movements; she moved so fast.”

Dzoun nodded again. “Unity is a state of union with the Force. It is extremely rare, and it is rare to happen before death. Perhaps you were closer to death than you realized, My Lord. Regardless, you’ve gone from a perfect connection to… perhaps a reverse one? A connection that is, if anything, draining rather than sustaining you. In any event, if you cannot correct this, I feel you will die.”

M sighed. She’d thought perhaps that she’d died in the jungle and had been living on borrowed time. Her vision of Revan had been so vivid she thought possibly she was a fellow ghost of some sort. Regardless, something very odd had happened and she expected that she wouldn’t survive the experience much longer.

Quinn grasped her hand and squeezed it. He asked Dzoun, “What can we do?”

Dzoun started to answer but stopped and asked, “May I stand up? My knees are not what they once were.”

M signaled to Pierce to let the man stand. 

Dzoun stretched gratefully. “Thank you. From what your apprentice has told me, My Lord, I am of the opinion that you are yourself in part responsible for this situation. She tells me you have been meditating to achieve the calm of a Jedi to help you deal with the events of your kidnapping.”

M nodded. “I’ve used those techniques before with no ill effect.”

Dzoun crossed his arms. “The Jedi calm themselves to the point where they become detached from the world. They let go of their emotions and simply trust the Force to protect them. The Sith stoke their own passions to the point that they believe the Force, created by these passions, will do their will. In both cases, the practitioners involved have learned to have complete faith in the Force, but in very different ways. To be a Revanite, you have to trust the Force in all things, in all circumstances, in all states of emotion. It is a difficult thing to have utter and complete trust in another person, much less an invisible power.”

M took Quinn’s hand in both of hers and held it tightly. “I’ve learned that kind of trust in another person.”

Vette made an audible “awww” sound. 

Quinn blushed but asked, “Surely Lord Wrath has demonstrated her ability to channel these Force powers.”

Dzoun said, “She can certainly channel the dark side. Before she met the Revanites and her apprentice, she would likely have continued to make use of her anger over her abduction to good effect. But she is using the Jedi meditation improperly to repress those feelings, rather than to simply let them go, the way a Jedi truly would. So she is shutting off her power source.”

Jaesa nodded and looked at M. “So maybe if you acknowledge your feelings about your attack you’ll be okay.”

M frowned. She didn’t want to think about the abduction or, more importantly, what had happened afterward in the jungle. Thus far, shutting down the memory of the ordeal had been an automatic reflex. She didn’t know if she could stop herself from repressing those feelings now. “I don’t think it’s true. I watched a recording of the whole attack and it didn’t trigger my powers at all.”

She glanced at Quinn. He was looking at her with utter misery. She knew he wrongly felt responsible for what had happened, and was most terribly upset that those Sith men and the soldiers had forced themselves upon her. But she wasn’t sure it was a good idea to tell him she was more worried about her powers going out of control than what those men had done. He’d interpret it the wrong way. He’d think she accepted the rape, or even liked or welcomed it. Of course she didn’t, but Quinn was so possessive of her and so jealous of her affections that he couldn’t be reasonable about her kidnapping. 

She thought of her visions of Revan and looked at Dzoun. “Revan said I had should take you to Voss if I wanted to recover.”

Dzoun raised an eyebrow. 

M waved her hand dismissively. “I had a vision.”

Quinn and Jaesa looked at each other with growing concern. Pierce asked, “Is that why we’re going there?”

M nodded.

Dzoun rubbed his chin. “Voss. Hm, I’ve heard Voss has an area very strong in the dark side called the Nightmare Lands. Very dangerous for Force users. There’s a similar area near the Sith Temple outside Kaas City.”

M shook her head, “I won’t go back to the Sith Temple.”

“It could be what you need.” He nodded thoughtfully. “If you wish, I’ll accompany you to either place.”

“Very well. Pierce, you can remove his chains.”

Quinn protested, “My Lord, he attacked you earlier!”

M looked at Dzoun carefully and then at Jaesa. “Look into his heart, know his true self.”

Jaesa nodded but said, “Master, Captain Quinn asked me to do that earlier, and I did. He means us no harm. At least for the present.”

Quinn sighed as Pierce removed Dzoun’s chains. “If he’s going to roam the ship at least get him cleaned up.”

Vette hopped off the counter on which she’d been perched. “I’ll help him out!” She went to Dzoun’s side and took his elbow. “Whew! You stink worse than Broonmark! I’ll get you some clean clothes too.” 

Dzoun turned formally to M and bowed his head to her, saying, “May the Force make you strong.”

M nodded her head in response and Vette led Dzoun out of the room.


	21. Quinn asks Vette for advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn is so desperate he asks Vette for advice after the Revanite plants a seed of doubt in Quinn's mind.

After the door swished shut behind Vette and Dzoun, M let out a long sigh of disappointment. She’d hoped for better news from the Revanite. She looked around her to find Quinn, Jaesa and Pierce all grimly staring at her. The silence stretched but finally Pierce cleared his throat. He asked, “Milord, are you dying? You should’ve told us.”

M studied her hands for a moment and then said, “I realize my death would be extremely dangerous for all of you. But I wouldn’t leave you without protection. After I killed Lord Baras, I met for a few moments with Lord Vowrawn. I asked him to take you all under his care if something happened to me. My loss would be difficult for him, but I believe he would survive the political storm. And after the way you all defended him from Lord Draahg he’s more than willing to add you to his followers. You need only contact him or Lord Qet if I die.”

Quinn, Jaesa and Pierce remained silent and looked at each other uncertainly.

M looked at Quinn and took his hand again. “However, I’m not dead yet. My husband claims that he will be very cross if I die, and I am trying to keep him happy.” 

Pierce glanced at Quinn and said softly, “Think we’d all be pretty upset if we lost you, milord.”

M smiled at Pierce. “Well that’s just more incentive for me to recover.”

Quinn asked, “These ‘visions’… are you certain they are authentic? Not, perhaps, a symptom of your illness?”

M shook her head. “I don’t know. They seem real. Since our first trip to Voss, when the mystics granted me the vision of Lord Baras, I’ve had visions now and then. So far they’ve all been accurate.”

Quinn looked at M’s hand in his and swallowed deeply. “You are weakening very quickly, My Lord. It will take another ten hours to get to Voss. Will you last that long?”

“Yes.”

Quinn clearly wasn’t convinced, but said, “Very well.”

Pierce and Jaesa took their leave and as the door closed behind them Quinn sank onto the bed next to M. He said softly, “I will not allow you to die, Wife.”

M squeezed Quinn’s hand. “I don’t want to leave you, Malavai. But maybe it’s safer this way. Safer for you. Safer for everyone.”

Quinn studied her. “Do not give in to this deterioration on our behalf. Regardless of Vowrawn’s intentions, we are marked men if you perish. It’s far safer for all of us if you are with us.”

M shook her head and held out her arms. “You don’t understand. Please, just hold me.”

Quinn moved forward to hold her. He kissed her temple and murmured, “Make me understand, Wife. Let me help you.”

“I’m so tired, Malavai. I just want you to be safe. And now I just want to sleep. Please just let me sleep.”

Quinn reluctantly tucked his wife into bed and held her until she fell asleep. Then he took to pacing the corridors.

He was frustrated she wouldn’t confide in him but she was so weak he couldn’t bring himself to confront her. And with her talk of ‘visions’ he thought perhaps her mind was deteriorating as well. He didn’t accept Dzoun’s description of a ‘negative drain’; from what he knew of the Force it was supposedly an energy force present in all things. How could her lack of contact drain her? Perhaps her severe injury had been draining her. Perhaps she was still injured in some way his instruments couldn’t detect. Surely he could determine what the underlying problem was if he analyzed the situation properly. He had to save her.

 

He thought he might think better if he ate and headed for the ship’s mess. He met Dzoun coming out of the mess and Dzoun pulled him aside. “If you don’t mind, Captain, I’d like to ask you a question.”

Quinn still wanted to stab the scoundrel for hurting M, but he nodded. “You have my attention.”

“Young Vette was just telling me some very interesting stories.”

“Was she?” He peered past Dzoun and saw Vette inside, drinking. She looked up and waved. “And what did she tell you?”

Dzoun smiled. “Some interesting stories about the old days, and a long dead Sith called Kel’eth Ur. But she also told me of the adventure in which you rescued Lord Wrath. She mentioned that between the time you rescued Lord Wrath and the time she woke up on this ship she was in Darth Vowrawn’s custody for several hours.”

“What of it?”

“I don’t intend to cast aspersions upon Lord Vowrawn, but are you sure that the woman on this ship is your wife? Not a flash clone or a product of surgical alteration? It might explain why she ‘suddenly’ cannot access the Force. Or why her body is failing.”

“That is preposterous!”

Dzoun held up his hands defensively. “I was just wondering. I’m sorry to keep you. Good night.” He bowed and walked past Quinn towards the male crew quarters. 

Quinn stood for several long moments, pondering the idea. Surely he would know if his wife was an imposter. Wouldn’t he? He shook his head, dismissing the matter and walked into the mess. 2V-R8 was there, quietly preparing the next morning’s breakfast. Vette was sitting there as well, nursing a bottle of Corellian ale. She beckoned Quinn over. “Come join me! I’ve got another one. Dzoun didn’t want to drink.” She held up a second bottle.

Quinn reluctantly sat down opposite her thinking the distraction might clear his head. He eyed the ale warily, “Corellia is under embargo. How did you get contraband liquor through customs?”

Vette rolled her eyes. “If you don’t want any then it’s more for me! Hey, how’s M doing?”

Quinn frowned. “I’m extremely worried, Vette. There’s something Lord Wrath is not telling me. You’ve been with her longer than any of us. Have you seen her like this before?”

“What do you mean, like scared or weak?”

“Either.”

Vette took a drag from her drink. “I’ve seen her scared plenty of times, but when she gets scared she gets all… I don’t know, puffed up or something, like a scared cat, right? And then she’s just way more scary and really kicks ass.”

Quinn frowned. “I take it that you mean that she fights better when she is afraid.”

“Yeah, that’s what I just said. But weak… I mean I’ve seen her get hurt real bad and stuff, but she does this, like, glowy red thing and she’s better.”

“Yes,” Quinn agreed. “You have no reason to doubt she is who she says?”

Vette laughed. “Is that what Dzoun was telling you just now? That’s crazy, don’t mind him.”

Quinn frowned. “I wonder if I should insist that Lord Wrath torture me.”

Vette coughed and ale shot out of her nose. Toovee instantly appeared at her side and wordlessly handed her a cloth napkin. He retreated as she wiped her face and she exclaimed, “What did you just say?!”

Quinn looked at Vette earnestly. “Perhaps you can help me; you may have a sense of how the female mind works. There was a situation recently where I was being tortured and she was present. My pain and anger seemed to physically revitalize her. Perhaps we could recreate the scenario. I offered to do this earlier and she refused. But perhaps drastic measures are required. Would you be willing to torture me? Otherwise I fear I shall have to ask Lieutenant Pierce.”

Vette rubbed her nose with the back of her hand. “Okay, first of all, I’m not gonna torture you unless you pay me a whole lot and get M to promise not to kill me. Actually, you can’t pay me enough because she’d totally kill me.” She peered at Quinn. “Second, I don’t know what this has to do with the female mind. But, you know…” She took another swig of her ale. “This whole thing sounds real kinky to me. Those Sith are definitely super kinky. I remember there was this master I had who had this Sith guy visiting and he wanted to do all sorts of weird stuff with ropes and whips and junk with me and some other girls. My master got super pissed off.” She took another drink.

Quinn looked carefully at Vette. “I’d forgotten your life as a slave included erotic services.” 

Vette choked again on her drink. “Ew, no, sheesh. Stop saying weird stuff, Quinn! I’m gonna asphyxiate or something.”

Quinn persisted, “Perhaps you could talk to Lord Wrath about her experience. She refuses to speak to me about it, which may be for the best as I find I am irrational about her abduction. I cannot imagine what it is like to be forced to… em…” he waved his hand uncomfortably. “…couple with a stranger.” 

Vette nodded, “Yeah, I was talking to my sister about it, you know, about her having been a pleasure slave and stuff, and it totally sucks. But I guess you get over it or you go crazy.”

Quinn considered her. “Do you think Lord Wrath has ‘gone crazy’?”

Vette shrugged. “Maybe. Personally I think she doesn’t want to deal with getting raped and stuff, which, you know, I totally get. Leave her alone; she’ll figure it out. I think she’ll be okay. She’s just taking a little vacation from reality.” 

Quinn nodded thoughtfully and said, “How do you suggest we bring her back to-” 

He broke off suddenly as he heard M scream his name. He leapt to his feet and took off running towards M’s stateroom. 

Vette watched him disappear and said, “Toovee, Imps are freaking crazy.” 

Toovee replied, “As you say, mistress.”

Vette nodded and broke open the second ale.

 

* * *

 

_M awoke in darkness again. She half expected to see Revan, or The Voice, but neither appeared. Before her was a single open door, and she walked through it and into the jungle. It was dark, but a golden glow shone ahead of her. She soon realized she was in the jungle near the Sith temple, and approaching the clearing where she had been tortured. She crept quietly toward the light and caught her breath when she saw four men, Sith, dressed in black. Surely she had killed these men, how were they here alive? One looked around and called out, “Wrath? Come out, come out! We have one of your pets.”_

_M ignited her lightsaber and walked toward the men through the foliage until she saw them clearly. They hailed her and parted. She gasped when she saw their captive; it was Quinn, injured and bound as she had been. The Sith ringleader showed her he had Quinn’s vibroknife and then walked over to Quinn and grabbed him roughly by his hair. He jerked Quinn’s head back and slit his throat before she could react._

M screamed Quinn’s name and woke up with a start. She sat up, breathing hard, and reached over to turn on the room lights. Malavai was sleeping peacefully next to her and she shook him gently to wake him. “Malavai?”

He rolled toward her, his eyes open and vacant, his head lolling at a grisly angle, his throat slit open down to his spine. The bed was drenched in blood, and she had Malavai’s bloodied vibroknife in her hand. She wailed in anguish over his body.

 

* * *

 

Quinn slid to a stop in front of their quarters, burst into the room and slammed the wall to turn up the lights. He could hear M shrieking in his head, but as before she appeared to be sleeping peacefully. 

He shook her awake, and she seemed astounded to see him. She clung to him, sobbing, “I thought they killed you! Then I thought I killed you!”

He held her close, rocking her and murmuring softly. “You didn’t kill me. I’m so sorry I left you alone. You didn’t lose me.” She wept like a child, and only after over an hour of his soothing words did she fall asleep again. Quinn undressed and got into bed with her, afraid to leave her by herself. 

As he lay beside her, he carefully inspected every feature of his wife’s sleeping face. Of course it was really her; he should dismiss Dzoun’s notion completely. 

Regardless, Quinn decided that drastic action was required. If they couldn’t quickly find answers on Voss, he was going to insist she torture him again. Maybe he could requisition an interrogation table, or perhaps borrow one from the Imperial consulate on Voss. He felt certain he could talk Pierce into torturing him for M’s benefit. He disliked the idea of being at Pierce’s mercy, but Quinn felt sure he could safeguard his own survival if he planned the encounter properly. It would be an unusual situation, but after all, it was Quinn’s duty as a husband, and as an Imperial subject, to restore the Emperor’s Wrath to her former strength. It was the least he could do.


	22. Quinn takes his wife to the Voss Temple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn takes his wife to see Vana-Xo in the hopes that she can cure his wife of her sickness.

When the _Wrath’s Fury_ reached the Voss orbital station, Quinn contacted Lord Serevin, the current Imperial emissary wooing the people of Voss. Serevin owed M for a foothold she’d built in the Empire’s name with The Three, the ruling council of Voss. Quinn didn’t mention Wrath’s current perilous situation, so Serevin was delighted to acquire permission for them to land in the capital city, Voss-Ka, but suggested they check in with the Voss at the Temple before revisiting the Nightmare Lands. Quinn felt sure they’d end up owing Serevin some ridiculous favor, tramping around the countryside for some item or finding some local’s pet. But any price was worth restoring his wife. 

Despite his dislike for Pierce, he decided to take him along for firepower. In a pinch they could have him draw fire while they retreated (he’d tried this on several occasions before, but Pierce had always survived). Jaesa came as well to escort Dzoun, leaving Vette, Broonmark and Toovee to guard the ship. Quinn thought their best bet was to speak to the healer Vana-Xo in the Shrine of Healing as she had helped M before.

When they disembarked from the Voss shuttle, M wore her new gear, was armed with her weapons, and was hopped up on as many adrenals and stims as Quinn thought was safe. So she cut a formidable figure as they strode through Voss-Ka and toward the shuttle Lord Serevin had reserved for them to get to the Old Paths. 

As they rode toward the countryside outside the mountaintop city of Voss-Ka, Dzoun looked about him with wonder. He said, “Many of my comrades have dreamed of coming here. It is so rare to be permitted to visit, much less explore the wilds.”

Jaesa nodded. “It has a strange vibration, don’t you think?”

Dzoun closed his eyes. “The light and dark-side energies are very unbalanced here. Despite this, I sense a connection with the unified Force I haven’t felt elsewhere.”

Pierce looked back at Quinn and rolled his eyes.

Quinn said, “When we last visited, we learned that the people of Voss were corrupted by the Jedi. The Jedi used light side powers to turn part of the populace into the Voss, leaving the remainder to fall to the dark side without appropriate guidance. The two factions are at perpetual war now.”

Dzoun rubbed his beard thoughtfully, “I’ll have to let the others know. I sense we have much to learn from the peoples of Voss. I don’t know how we’ll get access, but we will. Do you have any suggestions?”

Quinn had no interest in further aiding the man who had injured his wife and pointedly ignored Dzoun’s question. He drew M closer to his side; he could tell she was very weak. 

Once the shuttle landed in the lowlands near the shrine, Pierce jumped into the pilot seat of the speeder Lord Serevin had chartered for them. He grinned and gunned the engine, calling out, “No need to hoof it; I’ll jump any obstacles.”

Quinn sighed. “No.”

Pierce insisted, “I’ll drive. You sit with the missus. I haven’t had a speeder crash in weeks!” He winked at Jaesa and she smiled back at him.

Quinn was in no mood for jokes, but M wobbled a bit in Quinn’s arms so he relented, eager to get her to the temple.

 

Once they arrived, one of the commandos guarding the shrine outside recognized M, and ushered them inside. M insisted on walking under her own power, but Pierce quickly became impatient watching M struggle with the many steps, so he pushed Quinn aside and swept her up in his arms. Quinn started to protest but Pierce glared at him, saying, “I’m big, I’m strong, and she doesn’t weigh anything. You do the thinking, mate, and I’ll do the heavy lifting.”

Reluctant to make a scene in front of the Voss, Quinn nodded. The fact that M didn’t protest worried him. She was fading by the moment.

Quinn hurried the group to the healing chamber and was relieved to see a hooded female Voss with characteristic red skin kneeling beside the sick and injured patients of the shrine. He cautioned his comrades to be silent and approached her, bowing. 

“Vana-Xo. I don’t know if you remember me; my name is Malavai Quinn. I came here with Lord Wrath several months ago to seek your help.”

The woman ignored him for several minutes. He waited patiently, standing at military attention, assuming she had heard him. She had. After she finished with her patient she turned and regarded him and their group dispassionately.

“Yes, I remember you. She required The Blessing of the One.” Vana-Xo gestured toward M. “I sense that she is injured.”

He cautiously stepped closer and said softly, “I hoped you might be able to help her. She’s lost her connection to the Force.”

Vana-Xo frowned. “A terrible fate for a Mystic.”

“Can you help her?”

Vana-Xo approached Pierce, who was still holding M. Quinn was alarmed to see M had lost consciousness and was now hanging limply in Pierce’s arms. Vana-Xo touched M’s forehead and concentrated. 

She pulled back and said, “I can stabilize her, but she should revisit the Nightmare Lands or the Gormak wilds. She thrives best on pain, passion, terror and rage, in quantities which I cannot supply her.”

Quinn nodded, “Any help you can offer will be greatly appreciated.”

“Payment must be made.”

“Name it.”

Vana-Xo studied him carefully, and then all the members of their group. Finally she said, “I will siphon from these two.” She pointed at Pierce and Jaesa. They looked at each other. 

Jaesa bowed her head in acceptance, but Pierce said, “What exactly are you going to take?”

Vana-Xo said simply, “Your strength. It will return with time. Then I will save her life.”

Quinn said, “You can have mine. All of mine.”

Vana-Xo turned to look at him curiously. “She will need your strength very soon, but not yet.” She pointed at Pierce and said, “His strength is wild and hot.” She pointed at Jaesa and said, “Her strength is calm and cool. These together will give me what I require.”

Pierce swallowed heavily and nodded. He gave M to Quinn and took a deep breath. “Do it.”

Vana-Xo concentrated and reached her arms out toward Pierce and Jaesa. They both gave a sudden cry and fell to their knees. Quinn thought he could almost see a white cloud of energy being pulled from Jaesa and Pierce, but it was over quickly and both fell prostrate to the floor. 

Vana-Xo glowed for a moment and said, “The payment is made. Put the Sith down before me.” Quinn gently placed M on the ground and the healer kneeled down to inspect her. She closed her eyes and laid her hands on M’s chest and forehead and the two of them began to glow with a golden radiance. 

Pierce cursed softly to himself and Quinn glanced over to see him and Jaesa both struggling to their knees, both clearly exhausted. Dzoun was watching the proceedings with rapt awe. 

 

* * *

_  
M kicked her boots off and gripped the polished stone floor with her toes. It felt good to be back in the Voss Temple. She’d been proud when she’d passed the Voss trials so easily, and had been grudgingly accepted as a Mystic in her own right by the Voss. She wondered where the others had gone, but walked through the cool corridors toward the healer she remembered._

_She found Vana-Xo kneeling over a prone figure. It was Quinn. Beside them Pierce and Jaesa were both sprawled on the floor, unconscious. She kneeled next to Vana-Xo and asked, “What happened to everyone?”_

_Vana-Xo didn’t look up, but said, “They all wish to sacrifice themselves for you. To give their strength to you. What is the hold you have over them?”_

_M took Quinn’s limp hand in her own and put her other hand on his chest, feeling the reassuring beat of his heart. “I don’t know. I love them. I suppose they love me.”_

_Vana-Xo said, “But you are a Mystic.”_

_M shrugged. “I’m Sith.”_

_“Is your love for them a weakness?”_

_“No worse than any other passion.”_

_“Your love makes you irrational.”_

_M looked at Quinn’s peaceful, sleeping face. “Maybe.”_

_“You are a dangerous woman. Perhaps dangerous to these people you love.”_

_“I won’t let myself hurt them. I won’t let my power hurt them.”_

_“Your desire to protect them is destroying you.”_

_“It’s important. If I lost my husband I’d… I’d be lost as well.”_

_Vana-Xo shook her head. “You say you are Sith. You must embrace all of your emotions and the turbulence and danger that comes with them.”_

_M grimaced. “You don’t understand. I… can’t. If my rage burns too hot I’ll lose control. In that jungle I killed everyone and everything. Towards the end I just tore those men apart with my mind; they just flew into pieces. I terrified even myself.”_

_“They tortured you. Payment was made.”_

_“It wasn’t payment. I killed every living thing in that jungle, even the plants and animals. I didn’t mean to do it. They all just exploded.” M leaned forward and whispered urgently, “If I lose control I’ll kill my husband and my crew. Maybe more. Maybe everyone. Maybe everything.”_

_Vana-Xo considered her for a long moment. “But will you?”_

_“Yes. No. Maybe.” M frowned, “I don’t know. I can’t take the chance.”_

_Vana-Xo studied her carefully. “You have a path to take; you cannot avoid your fate. You were destined to be a mystic, a Sith, and a bringer of change. Many forces are at work propelling you toward your destiny.”_

_M thought of Revan and the Emperor, and her relationships with Vowrawn and Jaesa. She felt like the rope in a galactic tug-of-war between the dark and light side. Maybe it was time for her to take back control. She met eyes with the healer. “You’re right, of course. As Lord Wrath I can make a difference, and I can make things better for my husband, for my children. For everyone. I don’t want to miss that opportunity.”_

_Vana-Xo nodded. “You will find your strength again in the Nightmare Lands. Go there now.”_

_M bowed her head in thanks, kissed Quinn’s hand and fell down unconscious beside him._

 

* * *

 

Quinn finally let out the breath he’d been holding when the glow around Vana-Xo and M faded. The healer stood and said, “I’ve done all I can. Take her to the Nightmare Lands, if you wish to restore her.” She bowed and left to tend to another patient. 

Quinn bent over M, and shook her gently. Her eyes fluttered open and she took a deep breath. “Malavai?”

Quinn helped her sit up. “How do you feel?”

M looked around, “Much stronger. Much better, thank you.” She looked at Pierce and Jaesa, who smiled back at her. “Thank you for giving me your strength.” 

Jaesa and Pierce looked at each other in surprise and Jaesa said, “How did you…? I mean, we were worried for you.”

M took Quinn’s hand. He pulled her to her feet. She squared her shoulders and said, “I know exactly what it’s like when Vana-Xo takes your strength. You’ve helped me a great deal.” Pierce and Jaesa helped each other up, but they were both clearly still weak. M added, “Quinn and I have braved the Nightmare Lands before; we’ll be able to get safely through. Please go back to the ship to recover; I may need your strength again soon.” 

They protested, but finally allowed M and Quinn to take them back to the shuttle to Voss Station. In keeping with Revan’s advice, M asked Dzoun to come with her and he was eager to oblige.

As Pierce and Jaesa’s shuttle departed Quinn turned to his wife. “You look stronger and I can again hear confidence in your voice. What of your powers?”

M shook her head, watching the trail of the shuttle disappear in the sky. “I can barely feel the Force. To be honest, I’m a bit worried about this last leg of our trip. But we must succeed.”

“Last leg?” Quinn’s throat tightened. “Do you not feel you’ll survive beyond this?”

M turned to smile at him, and kissed him gently. “I only meant the last leg to finish this business.”

Quinn put his hands on either side of her face, not caring if Dzoun witnessed their intimacy. He swallowed and studied her. “Is there something you haven’t told me? I beg you to take me into your confidence.”

M gazed at him lovingly and murmured, “Don’t worry.” 

Dzoun cleared his throat and asked, “How will you defend yourself without the Force?”

Quinn dropped his hands to M’s shoulders and looked at the Revanite. “She still has her weapons, and her physical prowess.”

M unhooked her favorite lightsaber from her belt. “No, Quinn, I can’t use this as I am. The blade has no weight. I’ll cut myself to pieces without the Force to guide my hand in combat.” She gave it to Quinn. “You keep it safe for me.”

Quinn took the weapon and examined it gingerly. “The last time I had this in my hand I used it to cut you free from that cage in the jungle.”

“Maybe you’ll use it to save me again.” She smiled at him and kissed his cheek. She pointed at a nearby weapon vendor and said, “I’m going to get myself a weapon that I can use properly. I’ll be right back.” She began to walk briskly away and Quinn hurried to catch up to her. 

He took her arm and whispered, “My Lord, this may seem ridiculous, but… is it you?”

She turned to search his eyes. “Is it me?”

“You are you, correct?”

“Yes? Are you you?”

“Of course I am me.”

M nodded, confused. “Well. I’m glad we have that cleared up. Are you all right, my darling?”

“Affirmative.” He flushed with embarrassment.

She smiled and squeezed his arm, saying, “I’ll be right back.” 

Quinn watched her walk away and admonished himself silently for even considering the possibility that his wife was a counterfeit. Then he wondered if he should quiz her just to be sure. Then he admonished himself again for having so little faith. Then he tried to think of a way to verify her identity. Then he wondered if questioning her identity would be considered treasonous. 

Fortunately, M soon returned with a long vibroblade, whirling it through the air experimentally. When she drew close she held out her hand and said, “Quinn, lend me your knife. Between that and this blade I should be armed well enough.”

He pulled out his knife without hesitation and handed it to her. She nodded and they headed for the skyhopper taxi stand.


	23. Quinn and his wife return to the Nightmare Lands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A return to the Nightmare Lands ends with a meeting with Sel-Makor, which does not end well.

The skyhopper dropped them off at Ghen’s Outlook, a small Imperial outpost in the Nightmare Lands. Quinn borrowed a speeder from the quartermaster and they were soon heading south toward the Twisted Forest. M relaxed in the passenger seat and took in a deep breath, enjoying the cool, clean air and the bright reds and oranges of the local plant life. She felt calm and confident for the first time since her abduction. 

M looked affectionately at Quinn, who was obviously enjoying driving the speeder. She was sad she couldn’t feel his emotions the way she usually could. Being blocked like this, she could understand why other people might think he was cold, or distant. She supposed only she knew how emotionally invested he really was. He glanced at her, “My Lord?”

She nodded at him, “Let’s go back to the Grim Warrens. I bet Sel-Makor has a new avatar by now.”

Quinn set a new course on the speeder’s navigation system. “Very good, My Lord. But, with respect, are you certain it’s wise to start your quest by confronting the most powerful dark entity on the planet?”

She shrugged. “I need dark Force energy to recover. We might as well go to the source.” She smiled as Quinn gunned the engine and ran down a pair of crysfangs who tried to block their way. “Excellent driving, Captain.” She rested her hand on his thigh. 

He glanced down. “You honor me, My Lord.” He accelerated the vehicle and added, “My Lord, ah… I was wondering. Do you remember the name I made you swear never to call me?”

M drew back her hand, bemused. “Yes?” 

“I was… just wondering about your memory, to be sure you hadn’t suffered a concussion.”

“Actually there are a few you asked me not to use. Do you mean the nickname Moff Broysc called you, or the one Vette called you, or the one Pierce calls you?”

Quinn glanced at her. “I wasn’t aware that Vette had a nickname for me.”

M glanced behind her. Dzoun was lounging in the back seat, his attention apparently on the passing countryside. She looked back at Quinn.

“She used to call you Captain Paranoid.” 

“Ah yes. Charming. No, I meant the one the late Moff had given me.”

She smiled, wondering why he had become obsessed with her identity. “Do you want me to say it out loud?” 

“Yes, My Lord.”

“Very well, Admiral Malcontent.” She giggled.

Quinn frowned at the road ahead of him.

“You know, Quinn, it’s occurred to me that the Mal in Malcontent is derived from your name.”

“Indeed,” said Quinn sourly.

“Perhaps we should name our first son ‘Mal’.”

“I’m not sure that would be wise, My Lord.”

She bit her lip, smiling to herself. “So, did I pass your test?”

Quinn paused a moment, and then sighed, “Yes, My Lord.”

“So now can I call you ‘Mal’? Your middle name isn’t ‘Content”, is it?”

“No. And I would very much prefer if you would refrain from shortening my given name. I find it… confusing.”

She nodded. She gently touched his leg again and said softly, “Admiral.”

Quinn twitched. 

“How low did they demote you from Admiral when that bastard Broysc court-martialed you? You never told me.”

Quinn heaved a sigh. “Lieutenant. Without the possibility of promotion. I never told you because you never asked.”

“Oh Malavai. I’m so sorry, it must have been terrible.”

“I’ll admit it was galling to be taking orders from men half my age, but at least I was still in the service. Lord Baras came to me on Balmorra and said that after my interrogation he’d negotiated a stay of my execution and had my sentence reduced to demotion. He said he wanted me to work directly for him because of my abilities as a strategist and my service to the Empire. I was relieved and flattered, of course. But in retrospect I wonder if I was to be demoted at all, or even executed. At some point in the future I shall have to investigate the matter more thoroughly.”

M wasn’t sure what to say; she knew Quinn’s career was everything to him.

He glanced at her. “There’s no longer any need to be distressed over the incident, My Lord. I’ve had my revenge. And my father did not live to see my humiliation, for which I am extremely grateful.”

M chewed her lip and tried to focus on Quinn’s emotions. Without her powers she couldn’t sense his feelings, but he didn’t look upset. 

Quinn nodded to himself and said, “Although I was crushed to have lost my position, I have done far more to serve the Empire in the short time I have spent with you than I accomplished in almost two decades of military service. And the honor of my family has been restored. Because of you, My Lord, I have no regrets.”

M smiled. They sat in silence for several minutes. Then M ventured, “Admiral Quinn… Captain Quinn… Malavai…” She patted his thigh fondly. “I love you by any name, my darling.”

Quinn’s lips twitched with the ghost of a smile. 

At last they pulled off the main trail and Quinn parked the speeder under the shelter of a thicket of trees, away from any visible dangers. M said to Dzoun, “You might want to wait here. The caves are full of Gormaks possessed by the dark side. Quinn and I were here before, and have protection against the dark side influence.”

Dzoun shook his head. “I’m coming with you.”

Quinn sighed as he locked down the speeder. “If you go insane I will not hesitate to kill you.”

Dzoun shrugged. “So be it.”

They left the speeder and made their way through the golden grasses and twisted trees of the forest. Soon the path became littered with large piles of whitened bones. They climbed the largest pile and saw the small opening of a cave in a moss covered rock formation. Quinn commented, “This looks like the cave I remember.”

M nodded. “The Grim Warrens. Let’s be cautious.” She stepped carefully into the cave with Quinn closely behind her. They’d only gone several meters in when Quinn shouted in warning, “The fight is upon us!” 

Several Gormak appeared from the shadows wielding blasters or electrostaffs, their skin glowing with red dark force power. M stood back-to-back with her husband as they fought the assailants. She wielded her vibroblade in spins and thrusts, slashing and blocking with Quinn’s knife, and Quinn used his pistol to pick off Gormak as they leapt from the darkness. In less than a minute five Gormak corpses lay at their feet. 

Quinn turned to M with concern and scanned her for injuries. He murmured, “I expected that to be a difficult fight.” He opened a kolto pack and poured it onto her right leg, where a blaster bolt had grazed her. 

She nodded. “Not so difficult. My body hasn’t forgotten how to fight. This may be the right place to have come after all.”

Quinn looked around. “Where’s Dzoun?”

“Did he run away?” 

“I don’t know. To be completely honest, My Lord, I don’t particularly care if I never see him again.”

M’s desire to get her powers back far outweighed her desire to learn about the Revanites and she said so. “Let’s keep going.”

Quinn nodded and they moved cautiously deeper into the cave, weapons drawn. They came across three more groups of possessed Gormak, but were able to dispatch them easily. 

They finally arrived at the heart of the cave but found it empty. The low platform M remembered was laden with dust and debris and the ceiling of the cave rose high above them here. Quinn prodded the dried bones of the avatar they’d killed on their previous visit. “Strange that the possessed Gormak left the corpse here to rot. Stranger still that there isn’t a new avatar.”

M looked around, “Maybe there is but he isn’t here.”

Dzoun appeared out of the darkness, “Or Sel-Makor hasn’t chosen a suitable new avatar yet.”

M jumped in surprise. “Where did you come from?”

Dzoun smiled, “All Force users can hide themselves to some extent. Surely you know that.”

Quinn had his pistol aimed squarely at the Revanite. “Of course she does. Have you been following us this entire time, Dzoun?”

“Yes.” Dzoun stepped carefully over the avatar’s corpse to the altar and lit the lantern sitting atop it.

Quinn tracked the Revanite with his pistol. “Yet you did not assist us in our battles.” 

“You didn’t need help.” Dzoun walked back to Quinn, holding up his hands, getting so close that his chest was pressed against the muzzle of Quinn’s gun. “It was strange though, Captain, that she could fight without the Force. And why didn’t she purchase two vibroblades, or an electrostaff? She is capable of fighting with two long blades, surely? Perhaps an oversight in the plot by Lord Vowrawn? Surely you feel it’s time to destroy this imposter.” 

M watched Dzoun carefully as he smiled and backed away from Quinn. The origin of Quinn’s worries about her identity was now obvious. She expected her husband to dispute what Dzoun had said, but he remained silent behind her. Then she heard something clatter to the stone floor. 

“Quinn?” She turned back towards Quinn to find him standing rigid, his fists clenched, his pistol at his feet. He was breathing heavily and staring at the ground. “Quinn, what’s the matter?” She sheathed her weapons and stepped over to him. “Quinn?”

Behind her, Dzoun said, “It was odd that she lost her powers.”

Quinn said, “It was odd.” He looked up at her, and his face was twisted with emotion. Which emotion was it, though? Pain? Anger? Fear? She couldn’t tell.

“Quinn? Malavai? Talk to me.” She cursed the loss of her powers. She’d know what was happening if she could just feel the Force.

Dzoun said, “She is not your wife. Vowrawn has your wife.”

Between clenched teeth Quinn said to her, “You are not my wife. Vowrawn has my wife.”

“Of course I’m your wife, Quinn, think!” M backed away from both men and looked around frantically. Quinn was between her and the cave entrance.

Dzoun said, “Quinn, tell this imposter how she was switched for your wife.”

Quinn took a step closer to her and looked back down at his own hands. “I wasn’t watching her after we rescued her. Vowrawn took her and sent you to me instead. He still has her. He’s probably torturing her as we speak! She’s in pain and I allowed you to fool me!” He looked up at M accusingly. “Curse my trusting and gullible nature! You defrauded me and now she is needlessly suffering!”

M looked at Dzoun. “Why are you controlling him?”

Dzoun leaned against the cave wall and crossed his arms. “Me controlling him? Oh no, not at all. It’s all his idea. He’s the one that wants to kill you.”

Quinn, much closer now, said, “It’s my idea. I… want to kill you.” He grabbed M by the throat with both hands, pressing her backwards into a dark corner against the cold stone of the cave wall. 

She pulled at his hands and shook her head, “No, Malavai, fight it, it isn’t real! It’s mind control!” He pressed in closer, his face angry and ugly with hate. She choked out, “Please, Malavai… please don’t…” 

She couldn’t get any other words out as he squeezed her throat tighter, forcing her to her knees. “He’s so strong,” she thought in despair, “and I’m so weak now. He’ll die when he realizes what he’s done.”

Dzoun said, “Finish her now.”

Quinn looked into her eyes and said, “I’ll finish you.” She clawed at him a few moments more but finally, mercifully, her world went black.


	24. Quinn fixes everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn finally learns the true reason behind his wife's condition. But can he escape Sel-Makor and the Revanite?

Quinn let his wife’s body crumple to the ground in the dark and dank corner of the cave. He kneeled and leaned over her for a long moment, his fingertips on her neck. He stood, holding her vibroblade and his knife and said simply, “She’s dead.” He tossed the longer blade aside and swiped up his pistol from the ground. He turned to face Dzoun. 

Dzoun smiled at him. “You’ve done well. She was an imposter. We’ll go back to Kaas City and save your true wife, the Emperor’s Wrath. You will be a hero.”

Quinn sheathed his weapons but then frowned and shook his head. “I only do my duty to the Empire; I’m no hero. But… something feels amiss.”

Dzoun said, “Perhaps you are sensing Sel-Makor. Haven’t you felt the power of this place? It calls to me.”

“Does it? Tell me about it.” Quinn walked away from his wife’s corpse, toward the lit altar. 

Dzoun followed him, rubbing his hands. “This is a place of immense dark side power.”

“I thought you were a Revanite, a servant of both sides of the Force.” Quinn shook his head again and looked at his hands. “I suddenly have a very bad feeling about this place.”

Dzoun whirled and gestured around him, losing interest in Quinn as wisps of purple and red smoke rose from the ground around him. He proclaimed, “The trick, you see, is realizing that all Force power is the same, light or dark. So a dark source is as good as any. This dark entity feels as if it’s the size of the planet. Surely the Emperor himself would lust after this power. It took a planet to make him immortal. With this power, I could become immortal as well!”

Quinn looked at Dzoun with horror and backed up against the lit altar on the far edge of the platform. “You are a traitor! Steal the power of the Emperor? It is unthinkable!” 

“I would take the power from the Emperor as well as the Jedi Council. They are both too polarized, too stupid to see the true Way.”

Quinn looked at his hands again in horror. “No… you… you compelled me to kill her. She was no counterfeit! She…” He gaped at Dzoun.

Dzoun smiled and glowed red as he soaked in the dark power around him. He laughed, “Yes, you’ve just murdered your own beloved wife, the Emperor’s Wrath, chosen by the Emperor himself. You’ve betrayed the two people you love the most, from what I’ve been told. Isn’t it ironic?” 

Quinn shrieked in anguish, fell to his knees and cried out, “What have I done?!” He drew in a ragged sob and buried his face in his hands.

Dzoun closed his eyes and murmured, “Your anger, her terror, and now your sorrow… they are all like water to my parched throat. Beautiful. Satisfying.” His eyes gleamed with deep red fire and the ground rumbled beneath them. A purple light swirled brightly on the floor, pooling under Dzoun. He stretched out his hands to the violet demon and cried, “Oh yes, come to me, Sel-Makor!”

Quinn looked up, his face streaked with tears, and screamed with fury. He pulled out his pistol, thumbed the automatic setting and began firing at Dzoun, who easily deflected the bolts with his hand. Dzoun smiled as the purple whirlwind enveloped him, and he stretched his hand out toward Quinn. 

The Revanite flicked away Quinn’s pistol with his mind and Force-choked him off of the ground. Quinn grabbed desperately at the air, flailing and futilely trying to support himself. Dzoun threw him against the wall and Quinn slid down to the floor in a heap. 

Next, Dzoun clenched his fist and the ground shook violently, cracks appearing in a network across the floor. A boulder lifted off of the cave floor next to him and it hurtled toward Quinn, followed by a shower of fist-sized rocks, all propelled by Dzoun’s will. Quinn threw himself to the side to dodge the worst of it, but he was buffeted by dozens of rocks and rock shards. He cried out as he felt a rib and his left shoulder crack with the impacts, and was dazed by a blow to his forehead from a jagged stone. Blood dripped into his eyes from the wound and he squinted at Dzoun, who was floating off the floor and laughing maniacally.

Quinn shouted, “You’re a fool, Dzoun! Sel-Makor will possess you and you’ll be trapped forever!”

Dzoun’s entire body was smoking dark red now, with a violet fog whirling around his head. “Sel-Makor demands your sacrifice! He demands your pain!” 

He threw Quinn up again into the air and against the ceiling of the cave, a half-dozen meters above the floor, and let him fall. As he landed Quinn felt one of the bones of his right lower leg snap from the impact. He had no time to cry out; Dzoun immediately threw him up against the ceiling again and then barraged him with force lightning. Quinn screamed in agony and his body seized painfully again and again as the dark electricity danced over his skin. The first spasm pulled his left shoulder from its socket and the next one broke his left forearm. His ribs locked up and he couldn’t breathe. He realized regretfully that he had failed, and that he was going to die here at the hands of this madman, and that he’d never see M again.

But of course, that is exactly when he did see her again. She rose into the air from her corner of the cave, shining a fiery scarlet, the lightsaber he had tucked into her limp hand a few minutes earlier now ignited and blazing. Her armor whipped around her in a tempest of her own righteous power, and never before had Quinn seen her look so beautiful, so magnificent. If this truly was to be his last sight before death, surely there was no better to be had than that of this amazing ferocious woman he had been privileged enough to serve.

She rose behind Dzoun enraged, her eyes flashing red stars, tears streaming down her face and her mouth clenched in a grimace of hatred. She slashed her lightsaber through the swirling vortex of red and purple. Distracted by Quinn’s agony, Dzoun noticed M too late to avoid the stroke and lost his right arm to her blade. He howled in pain and M twirled in midair to bring down a second blow. This one he blocked with his own lightsaber and they dueled.

As they fought, Quinn fell again, forgotten by Dzoun, but was caught just before hitting the ground by an invisible force. He assumed it was M who had caught him, for which he should have been grateful, but the jarring of his body was still great enough to rattle every one of his broken bones. He howled in pain, and it sounded as if M was howling with him. It hurt like hell, but he as he writhed on the floor he considered that his agony was surely fueling M’s power, so he didn’t have the right to begrudge it. 

Quinn tried not to think about the pain but to focus instead on their situation. He decided M might need him to be able to walk so he fumbled with the medical pack on his hip and pulled out a safety splint. He tried to affix it to his leg, but couldn’t quite manage it with only one good arm. 

Frustrated and in desperation, he looked up to watch the two Force-users dueling. They were both slashing and bouncing around the cave so quickly it was difficult for Quinn to determine the progress of the battle. But he could see at least that M was gratifyingly glowing and obviously intensely angry. 

Quinn couldn’t help smiling, pleased he had saved his wife, but sobered as he watched Dzoun heap abuse upon her in the form of lightning, stonings and heaved boulders. Trembling with pain, Quinn opened his pack with his right hand and dug out several kolto probes and packs. He could at least heal her from afar as he usually did. He was doing a medscan when the two came perilously close. 

Dzoun shrieked, “I’ll kill him!”

Quinn assumed Dzoun was referring to him, and he reflexively shot a carbonized stream at the man to freeze him for a few moments, and then sent another kolto probe to heal his wife. 

M panted, her eyes ablaze and her skin glowing a dark orange-red, and said simply, “Malavai.”

Quinn looked at Dzoun, temporarily frozen and said to his wife, “Cut him down!”

M only had eyes for Quinn. “Malavai, are you going to die?”

Quinn nodded and then shook his head, bewildered by her lack of action. “No, My Lord, I won’t die. He won’t stay frozen much longer, please, strike him down.” He threw a kolto pack down at M’s feet. 

M’s eyes roamed over Quinn’s injuries. “Don’t die.”

Quinn sighed, realizing she wouldn’t continue the fight without reassurance. “By my honor, I promise not to die, My Lord.”

M nodded as Dzoun’s carbonization wore off. The two resumed their duel, but M steered Dzoun away from Quinn. It was only a few more moments before she had cleaved away Dzoun’s left leg with her lightsaber. He cried out, wobbled and fell to the ground. She kicked him savagely in the head and he was out cold.

M grabbed Dzoun’s lightsaber, and in one movement deactivated it, hung it and her own saber on her belt and leapt to Quinn, wringing her hands over his injuries. “Quinn, what have you done?!”

“What have I done, My Lord? I didn’t do this, I promise you.”

M hesitated and backed away slightly, clenching and unclenching her fists. She looked at him sternly. “But you stalled him until I woke up. Couldn’t you have just told him a story or done some pazaak tricks?” 

She twisted her hands together and took several deep breaths, agitated, pacing back and forth in front of him. 

Quinn grimaced in pain, “I apologize, My Lord, but I do not play pazaak.” Out of habit, he looked her up and down to see if she was injured. She wasn’t. When he looked back into her eyes the red glow had dimmed slightly. “What’s the matter? Why don’t you come closer?”

M shook her head. “I’m still so angry; I don’t want to hurt you.”

Quinn smiled grimly, “You won’t hurt me. But thank you for your reticence. Please, come closer.” 

Her face twisted with worry, she inched slowly forward and reached into his jacket and snatched out a handkerchief. She held it at arms length and dropped it in his hand, “Your forehead is all cut up.” 

Quinn took the cloth and pressed it to his forehead, confused by her behavior. “Why are you fearful of touching me, My Lord?” 

She shook her head and said, “I know, I’ll heal you. Just relax.” 

She started working up her glow but he held out his hand and said quickly, “My Lord, I have several broken bones. Allow me to set them as I like before you join them. If you could simply administer first aid so that we might leave this place that will be sufficient.” Of course she could heal him perfectly well, but if his pain and injuries were indeed fueling her power, he would not let her waste it healing him. She need not know his true motive.

M pressed her hands over her face and screamed in frustration. Quinn jumped at the sound and she looked at him, alarmed. “Did I hurt you?”

Quinn shook his head, confused. 

“I just… when I have this power I… I’ll hurt you. I’ll kill everything here. Like… like I did at the Sith Temple. I killed everything, everyone, and I didn’t even know I was doing it.” She hopped up and down with both feet in agitation.

Quinn hesitated. Perhaps this was the secret she’d been holding from him. He sucked in a breath, trying to ignore his pain. “My Lord. Wife. You didn’t harm me then. You won’t do so now. You are in control of your powers. I believe in you. Have confidence in yourself. Calm yourself.” 

M’s shoulders slumped and she took in several deep breaths. She nodded at him and her glow faded slightly. She moved forward gingerly and got on her knees facing him. “You said you had several broken bones? Why did you have to let him beat you up so badly?” She looked at his leg and cried out, now even more upset. “Malavai, your poor leg!” Her eyes glowed red fire, glowing hotter with each injury discovered.

Quinn interrupted her, saying, “If you could help me splint the leg, My Lord. I find my left arm is a bit too injured to be useful at present.”

She took another deep breath and took his vibroknife from him and cut away his leg armor and the underarmor below. He handed her the splint and she pulled the leg straight. He whimpered between his teeth, holding back the cry he wanted to release. He didn’t want to appear weak.   
She shook her head angrily, her eyes now invisible in the fiery glow, “You can scream. I know it hurts. It’s the same as the break I had.” She thumbed the activator and the splint fixed itself to Quinn’s leg. 

Though he felt sick from the throbbing in his leg and arm, Quinn found himself fascinated with the blaze in her eyes and the way the flickering power reflected in the tears streaming down her lovely cheeks. She said softly, “You know, you had me fooled, Malavai. I thought you were really going to kill me.”

“I took a ribbon for drama at the Academy.”

She paused and smiled at him, her fire dimming slightly. “You’re having me on.”

Quinn dabbed at the sweat and blood from his brow with the handkerchief; his whole body was screaming at him in pain. But he said, “The director of dramatic history was my father’s friend and promised to help my career if I would perform the soliloquy from the ‘Song of the Empire’ at the end-of-year fete.”

She grinned. “No wonder you’re so good at deception, my darling.”

“Thank you, My Lord.”

M shook her head and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. “When I woke up and saw you’d put my saber back in my hand, I just… I just loved you so much. Then I heard you screaming and I felt your pain and I was so furious. And then it was all back.”

“I’m extremely pleased, My Lord.”

“And I didn’t kill you.”

Quinn frowned at the odd statement. “Yes. Thank you, My Lord.”

She looked him over and groaned at his torn uniform and bloodied flesh where the rocks had injured him. “Your shoulder looks horribly wrong.” She opened a kolto pack and dumped it all over his left shoulder. 

“I believe it is merely dislocated My Lord, it’s a trivial - Gah!” Quinn cried out as M unexpectedly took hold of his dislocated shoulder with both hands and popped it back into place.

M looked at Quinn sternly. “I know how to fix that at least.”

Quinn nodded and swallowed heavily, his eyes watering, trying to look more grateful than he felt.

M placed her hand on his shoulder more gently and asked, “Can you turn a bit? Let me see your back, I see bleeding.”

Quinn turned obediently as well as he could, trying not to cry out as his injuries were jostled. He glanced at Dzoun, who was still unconscious. “Why didn’t you finish him?”

M growled, “First you. Then I’ll deal with him.”

“He would make an excellent prize for the Dark Council.”

“That’s a good idea. Now hold still, Malavai.” She dumped another kolto pack on his head, letting it drip and steam down his face, neck and back.

Quinn coughed and spit out kolto and wondered if it was truly a good idea to have his wife tend to him in her current state of mind. “Ah, My Lord, perhaps let me administer the kolto from here forward.” 

She handed him a painkiller with an order to use it and he reluctantly injected his right thigh with the drug. He asked, “What of Sel-Makor?”

“He’ll just have to wait for the next Force user to wander by.”

Quinn grimaced as M carefully cut off the sleeve of his uniform and she cried out again at the sight of his broken arm. He passed her another splint, trying to look nonchalant.

“I know you don’t want me to do it, Malavai, but please let me heal you. I promise you won’t be left with a scar or disability.”

“I do not wish to drain you of your powers by using them to heal me. My discomfort is clearly restoring you.”

“I don’t want to be restored if you die.”

Quinn smiled grimly. “A preposterous statement. I’m not at any risk of dying from these injuries, My Lord.”

“If you die, Malavai, I will kill you.”

“Very well, My Lord.”

She bent over his arm angrily, allowing the splint to decide where to set itself. As she leaned over him, Quinn noticed there was a fresh bruise on M’s neck where he had choked her into unconsciousness. “Your neck. Did I hurt you?”

M smiled and looked up at him, glowing a little brighter. “No. You saved me. Again. I love you, Malavai.”

“I love you as well, My Lord.”

She laughed. “Call me Wife!”


	25. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything seems to have worked out, and now Vette wants her lekku buffed.

“I can’t believe it actually worked! That’s so cool!” Vette swung her feet from where she sat on the second bed in the med bay. Toovee was working on Quinn and the rest of the crew were all jammed into the room.

Quinn nodded, “If Lord Wrath and her apprentice had not given me training in resisting such suggestions, I fear to think what might have happened.”

Jaesa asked, “What was it like?”   
Quinn winced as Toovee adjusted the splint on his leg again and scanned it. “It was just as we had practiced. I could feel Dzoun’s will overtaking my own; I could detect what he was attempting. I am ashamed to say I could not fight the order completely, but I realized that if I could just control myself from killing Lord Wrath after she lost consciousness, it would be sufficient. So I dropped my pistol and concentrated on controlling my hands and fingers.”

“Weren’t you afraid he’d notice she wasn’t really dead?” Jaesa persisted.

Quinn looked at M. “Lord Wrath told me once that if she were to be incapacitated in such a way as to be made unconscious, that her influence would be lessened. I gambled that because Dzoun had gone insane her loss of consciousness would be enough to fool him. To be honest, I had no choice but to hope for the best.”

Jaesa turned to M. “But how did you get your connection back, Master?”

M was watching Toovee as he began wrapping Quinn’s ribs with a stability bandage and she licked her lips. “Isn’t Quinn sexy without a shirt on?” Her eyes flashed.

Pierce coughed. “He looks like a big pale fish to me.”

Vette laughed, “Shut up, Pierce, you love him, remember? Give him a big kiss!” She made smooching noises at him.

Pierce growled, “One of these days, girl.”

Broonmark gurgled horribly in amusement.

M smiled brightly at Quinn, who blushed from his navel up to his hairline. She thought it was incredibly cute. She said to Jaesa, “When Quinn choked me out, I thought I was dead. But then I woke up with my lightsaber and I was engulfed in this cloud of dark Force energy Dzoun had summoned. When I heard Quinn cry out and saw Dzoun killing him I just went a little crazy.”

Quinn smiled at Vette proudly. “As I said, I knew I could cure her if someone tortured me!”

Vette rolled her eyes. “You’re a crazy man, Quinn. Look at you, you’re all squished!”

“It’s a small price to pay to be of service to Lord Wrath.”

M frowned at Quinn and punched him in his good arm. He yelped and looked at her, hurt.

Jaesa sighed, “What are you going to do with Dzoun now, Master? I mean you hauled him and Captain Quinn all the way back here.”

Quinn stiffened. Despite the circumstances, he felt a bit embarrassed that his wife had to carry him back to the speeder. Fortunately, Dzoun was currently safely encased in carbonite in the cargo hold, frozen by Darth Serevin and shuttled back up to their ship at M’s request. 

M rubbed Quinn’s arm apologetically and said, “I’ll present Dzoun to the Dark Council; if they can treat his madness, I believe he’ll have much to offer in terms of increasing our ability to draw power. If he remains insane he’ll be just a deluded man, and not a Jedi spy. I hope they’ll take him, study him and learn something from him. When he isn’t mad, he seems willing enough to give guidance to the Sith. But I fear they’ll most likely just torture and kill him. The inquisitors in the Citadel are far more ruthless and effective than those anywhere else.”

Quinn grunted, “He deserves worse.” 

Jaesa sighed, “I’d hoped he would be an ally.”

M nodded, “We have a better ally in Lord Vowrawn. He’s been on the Dark Council longer than anyone else. I think he’ll prove more useful in the long run.”

Jaesa nodded regretfully in agreement and then asked, “May I finish healing you now, Captain Quinn?”

Quinn nodded. “When Lord Wrath feels her power is stable, I will allow it.”

M said, “For the love of- my power is stable! Do it, Jaesa.”

Quinn raised a brow, “Are you sure My Lord? I wouldn’t want to have to rebreak my leg if your powers started to wane.”

“Do it now, Jaesa, before I change my mind and punish him for insubordination!” M winked at Vette, who giggled. “I’ll make him eat an entire plate of crispics!”

Quinn sucked in a breath and smiled at M. “In that case, My Lord, I will humbly submit to your will.”

Jaesa nodded, moved to Quinn’s side and began to meditate.

Vette said, “You know, after all this, I think Quinn needs a vacation. I vote we go to Makeb; I heard they’ve got amazing pleasure palaces there. Spas too; I can get my lekku buffed!”

Pierce nodded, “I’ve heard good things about Makeb. Wine, women and song!”

Vette looked at Pierce sideways, “I don’t think I wanna hear you sing.”

“Oh, you just wait, little girl. I’ll change your mind.”

Quinn let his head fall back on his pillow, “I am clearly in no condition to argue. Very well. Let’s go to the pleasure planet and feed Vette and Lieutenant Pierce’s passions for debauchery. I must warn you that prices in Makeb resorts are far beyond a captain’s salary.”

M cooed and petted Quinn’s head. “I’ll treat everyone. And Quinn, I’ll take care of you and you’ll rest on soft cushions and eat those bland foods you like. And you can recite the ‘Song of the Empire’ while I rub your feet.”

Quinn was appalled. “The Emperor’s Wrath, wait upon me like a servant? Unacceptable!”

M raised a brow at him, took his hand and kneeled beside his bed. She said solemnly, “Captain Quinn, I pledge myself to you. I’m ready and willing to serve in any capacity you see fit.”

Quinn looked stricken. He glanced around at the crew. Vette smiled broadly at him and Pierce rolled his eyes. Quinn looked down at his wife and said urgently, “My Lord, are you feeling well? This is incredibly inappropriate!”

M looked up at him slyly. “Do you accept my pledge? My life, my soul and my fidelity?”

Quinn sputtered, “Of course, My Lord, but I –“

M stood and nodded. “Good. So now I can rub your feet.”

“What?! No, I cannot accept – “

She grinned, “Yes, my darling, you have no say in the matter. You’ll just have to endure my slavish attentions and overwhelming love.”

Quinn groaned, “As you wish, My Lord.”

She bristled at him and Quinn amended, “I apologize. I meant to say: As you wish, Wife.”

M smiled brilliantly and kissed him as Jaesa’s healing glow began to envelop his bed.

Vette crowed triumphantly, “Makeb, here we come!” 

 

END


End file.
